نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشجوی دکتری رشته گردشگری دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی، تهران،ایران
2 استاد گروه مدیریت جهانگردی دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی، تهران، ایران
3 استاد مدیریت دولتی، دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی، تهران،ایران
4 استاد برنامه ریزی روستایی و توسعه منطقه ای دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی، تهران، تهران
چکیده
تعارض مسئله مبتلابه مناطق حفاظتشده در ایران است و فائق آمدن بر آن چالشی بزرگ برای برنامه ریزان است. توسعه گردشگری میتواند یکی از عوامل اصلی تشدید این تعارضات باشد. ازاینرو هدف این مقاله شناسایی ویژگیها و دلایل بروز تعارضات ناشی از توسعه گردشگری در مناطق حفاظتشده بهخصوص تالاب میانکاله در ایران و همچنین شناسایی شیوههای فائق آمدن بر آنها است. بدین منظور یافتههای کیفی مطالعات پیشین با استفاده از روش فراترکیب مورد تجزیهوتحلیل قرار گرفتند. مقالات، کتب و رسالههای منتشرشده در پایگاههای مطالعاتی در بازه زمانی 2000 تا 2024 بر اساس روش نمونهگیری هدفمند انتخاب شدند. پس از تجزیهوتحلیل یافتهها، شبکه مضامین در سه بعد چیستی، چرایی و چگونگی مدیریت تعارض ارائه شد. بر اساس یافتهها، تعارض در مناطق حفاظتشده اغلب در سطح بین گروهی و بین سازمانی است. مهمترین دلایل بروز تعارض ارتباطات ضعیف و فقدان همکاری، بیعدالتی و سلطه قدرت، ساختار حکمرانی معیوب است. همچنین برای مدیریت تعارض نیاز به طی شش مرحله افزایش سرمایه اجتماعی، مصالحه و اجماع، کنش جمعی، هم تکاملی تدریجی و بهبود تعارض است. نتایج پژوهش حاضر علاوه بر اینکه به گسترش دایره شناختی شیوههای کاهش تعارض در گردشگری کمک خواهد کرد، میتواند مبنایی برای پژوهشهای آتی در این حوزه مطالعاتی باشد.
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
Analyses of Conflict Management Associated with Tourism Development in Protected Areas
نویسندگان [English]
- Roghayeh Ghanbari Ghadikolaei 1
- Mahmood Ziaee 2
- Vajhollah Ghorbanizadeh 3
- Mahmood Jomehpoor 4
1 PhD candidate of tourism, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
2 Full Professor, Tourism Management, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
3 Professor of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
4 Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
چکیده [English]
Conflict is a prevalent issue in protected areas in Iran, presenting a significant challenge for planners. Tourism development can be a major factor exacerbating conflicts in protected areas. Focusing on the Miankaleh Wetland in Iran, the present study aimed to identify the nature and causes of conflicts associated with tourism development in protected areas, and to explore ways to overcome them. First, a meta-synthesis approach was used to analyze the qualitative findings of previous studies. Articles, books, and theses published between 2000 and 2024 were identified and selected from the databases using purposive sampling. The analysis helped present a thematic network along three dimensions: the nature of conflict (what), the causes of conflict (why), and the methods of conflict management (how). According to the findings, conflicts in protected areas are often intergroup and inter organizational. The main causes of conflict include poor communication and lack of collaboration, injustice and power dominance, and faulty governing structure. Additionally, managing conflicts requires six stages: social capital, compromise and consensus, creating social organizations, communicative action, gradual co-evolution, and conflict improvement. The results of the research not only contribute to the expansion of knowledge about conflict reduction methods in tourism but also provide a basis for future studies in this field.
Keywords: Conflict, Conflict Management, Tourism, Protected Areas, Miankalleh.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Conflicts associated with diverse and conflicting interests, goals, and values among stakeholders. Conflicts intensify whenever a new stakeholder with different needs comes to the scene. Since tourism, as a new claimant, often proves more successful in competing for cultural and natural resources compared to other stakeholders, it can be one of the main factors exacerbating conflicts among stakeholders (McKercher et al., 2005). More specifically, conflict creates more challenges in the areas that face limited land supply and increasing demand (Almeida et al., 2018).
Unfortunately, in recent years, the Miankaleh Protected Area in Mazandaran Province has also been embroiled in conflicts among stakeholders. Currently, the resources of this wetland are being exploited directly and indirectly by various stakeholders. Some of these activities have led to chaos and illegality in the region, as well as to conflicts between the stakeholders and the Iranian Department of Environment as the main stakeholder in the region (Ajoul, 2017). The conflict is even more exacerbated as tourism has emerged as another stakeholder in Miankaleh. It is thus essential for managers and policymakers involved in managing the Miankaleh Protected Area to take necessary actions to settle these conflicts. However, the relevant authorities are not able to reach a consensus since they are entangled in managerial, political, and administrative conflicts (Bay, 2017). As a result, decisions made so far, such as the Ashuradeh tourism project, have remained ineffective for years (“Expert Review,” 2020).
Given the issues raised above, the conflict among stakeholders in the Miankaleh Protected Area, especially those associated with tourism development, has become one of the major concerns for national and provincial planners and managers. Therefore, it is essential that stakeholders embark on a joint effort to achieve constructive solutions to manage conflict. In this respect, the present study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of managing conflict associated with tourism development in protected areas, focusing on the nature of conflict (what), the causes of conflict (why), and the methods of conflict management (how).
Literature Review
Conflict is a major topic in tourism planning literature. Studies show that tourism development often conflicts with preserving natural and cultural values (Curcija et al., 2019). The tourism literature offers two perspectives on conflict. The first perspective considers conflict as an opportunity that fosters constructive interactions among various actors, resulting in positive outcomes such as new institutional structures to manage conflict and respond to competitive demands among stakeholders (Teferra & Beyene, 2014). In the second perspective, conflict is considered as a high-complexity problem that, if ignored, can turn into insurmountable challenges over time (Almeida et al., 2017).
Methodology
The current study relied on an inductive approach and a qualitative research design. The scoping review and meta-synthesis of previous qualitative findings were used to develop theoretical knowledge and provide new interpretations of conflict management in protected areas. First, an extensive search was conducted in databases using the scoping review method. Then, the main topics and research gaps were identified, followed by a systematic search based on the main keywords. The population of the study consisted of articles, books, and theses published in databases from 2000 to 2024. Purposive sampling was used, and the thematic analysis and MAXQDA software were employed to analyze the data.
Results
The synthesis of previous research findings led to the identification of 1225 initial codes, 99 basic themes, 19 organizing themes, and 3 global themes—revolving round the nature of conflict (what), the causes of conflict (why), and the methods of conflict management (how). The themes related to the causes of conflict include ineffective management, weak communication, lack of collaboration, faulty governing structure, and unbalanced development, public policies and laws, power dominance and injustice, differing values and interests, lack of information and awareness. The organizing themes of the nature of conflict are types of conflict, levels of conflict, stages of conflict, complexity of conflict, and stakeholder involved in the conflict. Moreover, the organizing themes related to the methods of conflict management include social capital, compromise and consensus, creating social organizations, communicative action, gradual co-evolution, and conflict improvement.
Discussion
A comparison of conflicts in other countries with those in the Miankaleh Protected Area reveals that conflicts in other regions are often intergroup in nature, arising from factors such as poor communication, lack of collaboration, and perceived injustices. Effective resolution in these contexts often involves the equitable distribution of power among governmental, private, and public stakeholders. Governance approaches such as adaptive co-management and collaborative governance have proven to be particularly effective in addressing such conflicts. In contrast, conflicts in Miankaleh are characterized by intragenerational tensions, largely stemming from ineffective management and governance structures within the region. Integrated management emerges as the most suitable approach for addressing inter-organizational conflicts in Miankaleh.
Conclusion
Adopting a meta-synthesis approach, the study aimed to address three ontological points: the nature of conflict (what), the causes of conflict (why), and the methods of conflict management (how) in tourism destinations and protected areas. How to manage conflict in protected areas constitutes the most important aspect of the current inquiry. The ultimate solution for reducing conflicts is the strategy of collaborative; however, the question arises as to how collaboration is possible among stakeholders who are intensely embroiled in conflicts with each other. In this respect, stakeholders must first reach compromise. Once compromise is achieved, conditions for collaboration will be established. To address how to manage conflicts, this research relied on the three-stage model proposed by Berkes (2010). According to Berkes (2010), the protected area management process requires a high level of participation and involves three stages: communicative action, strategic planning, and instrumental planning. This would ultimately lead to tangible outcomes such as the formation of new institutions or the reform of old ones, increased social capital, enhanced cooperation, capacity-building, empowerment, and finally a healthy ecosystem or human well-being (Berkes, 2010).
کلیدواژهها [English]
- Conflict
- Conflict Management
- Tourism
- Protected Areas
- Miankalleh.