The Urban Poverty Discourse in Iran: Discourse Analysis of the Evolution of Government Policies and Ideological Representations Between the Third to the Thirteenth Governments

Farahani, Rahman; Salehi, Sadeq; Parsamehr, Mehraban

doi:10.22054/urdp.2025.83910.1688

The Urban Poverty Discourse in Iran: Discourse Analysis of the Evolution of Government Policies and Ideological Representations Between the Third to the Thirteenth Governments

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

rahman farahani

sadeq salehi

mehraban parsamehr

mazandaran university

https://doi.org/10.22054/urdp.2025.83910.1688

Abstract

Urban poverty in Iran has always been a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by political, ideological, and economic contexts. Relying on critical discourse analysis theories inspired by the works of Laclau and Mouffe, this research examines governmental discourses surrounding urban poverty in the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Third to the Thirteenth Administration. The study also investigates the internal and external factors affecting the success or failure of anti-poverty discourses and demonstrates how the discursive techniques and specific theoretical frameworks of each period have influenced decision-making and the allocation of economic resources.
To collect data, official government documents and policymakers' statements were analyzed. The findings indicate that in different periods, the interpretations and socio-political outcomes of the concept of poverty varied significantly. For instance, during certain periods, an emphasis on defense and the economic pressures of war limited the implementation of broad welfare policies, whereas in other periods, distributive justice approaches and social support measures took center stage. Overall, the results show that poverty discourse has played a crucial role in shaping public policies, directly influencing the government’s perception of the causes and solutions to poverty.

Keywords

Poverty

Urban poverty. poverty discourse

third to thirteenth governments

Subjects

Urban and Regional Development Planning

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