A Meta-Study of Place Attachment Researches in Iran

Abstract

Place attachment is one of the fundamental concepts in people-place relations, which has attracted many Iranian researchers in recent years. These studies began in the 2000s, with each researcher having their own views about the concept. A coherent, systematic approach is, therefore, missing, with some aspects widely studied and others neglected altogether.The present study seeks to systematically provide a comprehensive picture of knowledge about this concept, through a survey of 32 Iranian articles in the field, spotting less developed dimensions. These papers include all the articles published in domestic scientific journals with a focus on place attachment since 2009. The research uses meta study strategy throughout.The results indicate that the highest attention is paid to individual and social dimensions of place attachment, with those focusing on the place and process of attachment overlooked. Most of the studies are on the neighbourhood scale, followed by residential complex and city scales. Most recurring are topics concerning identification and assessment of factors, and others include relations between place attachment and other concepts, models for processes of place attachment, and the consequences.

Keywords

• place attachment
• meta-study
• iran