This book is an authoritative account of rural development in Iran, spanning sixty years and two distinct political regimes.

Professor Mostafa Azkia has spent many decades demonstrating the importance of participatory rural development, not only in addressing rural problems, but also in reducing urban concerns, such as unemployment and overpopulation. This book is the culmination of this work, bringing together a detailed analysis of the theories, history, and strategies of rural and state development in Iran both before and after the Islamic revolution. Putting rural communities at the fore, the book demonstrates that there has been significant progress in reducing the rural-urban gap, both in terms of income and standards of living, resulting in a more equal path of socio-economic development for Iran.

This comprehensive assessment from Iran’s foremost rural sociologist will be an important read for researchers and professionals working on rural development and sociology in the Middle East.