Demographic Linkages between Rural and Urban Areas and Its Impact on Creating Social Capital (Case study: Damavand, Firouzkoh, Shemiranat)

Part of rural-urban interactions is the flow of people which is considered as a key element. Social life flows into a network of social relations, this network embodies within spatial separation of social groups –the result of accumulation of time, place and social relations. This research investigates the impact of demographic linkages between rural and urban areas on social capital. For achieving this aim, in the first step, the most important indicators of social capital were gathered based on the literature review. Then, according to Cochran formula, 377 questionnaires were responded randomly. The samples of this study were selected radomly from 7 districts and 26 villages located in Damavand, Firuzkoh, and Shemiranat. The main methods to analyze the collected data were network analysis and cross- impact analysis; the results of these methods led to the determination of impacts demographic linkages on creation of social capital. The density index was almost 60% in Damavand, Firuzkoh, and Shemirant. The reciprocity and transferability indices were almost 50% and 60%, respectively. After checking demographic linkage among rural and urban settlements, we analyzed indicators of social capital. We analyzed the results based on the t- test in network analysis framework by UCINET. The results and significance level suggest demographic linkages among the settlements led to social capital at 95% confidence level. Social capital indicator averages (participation and cooperation, compatibility and coexistence, social relations, social identity, trust, and commitment), were higher than average level (almost 3/5 base on Likert Scale) and this result suggests the studied indicators are acceptable.

Extended Abstract

1-Introduction

Rural-urban interactions can be divided into two categories: linkages across space (such as flows of people, goods, money and information and wastes); and sectoral interactions, which include 'rural' activities taking place in urban areas (such as urban agriculture) or activities often classified as 'urban' (such as manufacturing and services) taking place in rural areas. Rural-urban linkages are important for poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development and urbanization. Strong linkages can improve the living conditions and employment opportunities of both rural and urban populations. Domestic trade and the adequacy and efficiency of infrastructure are the backbone of mutually beneficial rural-urban relationships and the success of the relationship between urban and rural areas. Social life is flowing into a network of social relations, this network embodies within spatial separation of social groups –the result of accumulation of time, place and social relations. Any change in this geometry is required to explore the boundaries of a group and thus it requires serious stimulus to create or exacerbate intergroup competitions or even intergroup conflicts that can make conditions to manage the out-of-control issues. Therefore, social and cultural linkages in regional plans -beyond the logistical and technical importance- have strategic importance and value.

2-Materials and Methods

According to Cochran formula, 377 samples responded to the questionnaires. The samples of this study were selected randomly from 7 districts and 26 villages. The main methods to analyze the collected data were network analysis and cross- impact analysis that the results of these methods led to the determination of impacts demographic linkages on creation of social capital. Density (The density of a binary network is the total number of ties divided by the total number of possible ties), reciprocity (A tie is reciprocated if whenever a tie is connected from actor A to actor B then there is a tie from actor B to actor A), transferability, E-I index (E-I index is the number of ties external to the groups minus the number of ties that are internal to the group divided by the total number of ties), centrality (The group degree centrality of a group of actors is the size of the set of actors who are directly connected to group members) and geodesic distance (The length of a path is the number of edges it contains.  The distance between two nodes is the length of the shortest path) of population linkages were calculated as the foundations of social linkages based on network analysis. Then, the indicators of social linkages were analyzed by researchers. We used UCINET 6 to analysis data. UCINET 6 for Windows is a software package for the analysis of social network data. It was developed by Lin Freeman, Martin Everett, and Steve Borgatti. It comes with the NetDraw network visualization tool.

3-Results and Discussion

Density index was 65/6%, 60%, and 56/6% in Damavand, Firuzkoh, and Shemirant, respectively. The Calculated values show demographic linkages led to strong linkages among urban and rural areas in the study area. This condition has various issues such as employment incentives, leisure like second home tourism or visiting relatives, services and administrative centers. On the other hand, density for the settlements was 22/6% which is due to the weak linkage among rural settlement together. Reciprocity index was 51/28%, 54/29%, and 59/57% in Damavand, Firuzkoh, and Shemirant, respectively. Reciprocity shows that the linkages were beyond of average level in the study area. It suggests a sustainable network of demographic linkages. Reciprocity for the settlements was 52/71% that we must seek its reason in the mutual ties among rural and urban settlements. Calculated transferability was 66/6% for Damavand, 62/3% for Firuzkoh and 61/1% for Shemiranat. These values show weak ties in a group outside that according to Granovetter they can improve social capital. In the study area, transferability was 63% in all, suggesting a sustainable network. In Damavand, E-I index was 17/9%, it was 8/6% in Firuzkoh, and 14/9% in Shemirant. This index was 14/7% in all that suggests internal ties. We can conclude that demographic linkages in urban areas were stronger than rural areas and the population trend is from rural settlements to cities. In the study area, centrality network has 69% output flow and 80% input flow, these values were 38% output flow and 38% input flow in Damavand, 44% output flow and 44% input flow in Firuzkoh and 37% output flow and 47% input flow in Shemiranat. We can conclude that Tehran is Igo in this network. Central nodes can allow people access information and resources. Finally, we settled on Geodesic distance average; this index was 1/34 in Damavand, 1/4 in Firuzkoh, 1/43 in Shemiranst and 1/33 in the study area. It means that nodes were linked by a link, so the distance is very much among the nodes, speed and flow level of demographic linkages is low. It should be noted that the reason for this low level was weak linkage among the rural settlements because other indexes showed dynamic linkages.

4-Conclusion

Checking demographic linkage among rural and urban settlements, we analyzed indicators of social ties that are introduced as social capital by social science researches. In this section, the respondents were asked to rank social factors based on the Likert scale. We analyzed the results based on the t- test in network analysis framework. The results and significance level suggest that the demographic linkages among the settlement led to social capital at 95% confidence level. Social capital indicators averages (participation and cooperation, compatibility and coexistence, social relations, social identity, trust, and commitment), were higher than average level which suggests desirability of these indicators.