۱.
Given the importance of the historical context in the Iranian city of Mashhad and acts of sabotage, identifying, preserving, recording, and maintaining its historic facades is important. This study aims to investigate the ornamentations of Paein Khiaban’s historic facades of the Qajar period (1304-1174) (which have been inscribed as Iran’s cultural heritage). The methodology of this study is based on descriptive-analytical, exploratory, library studies, and field research. The results show that all buildings are two-story and ornamentations often seen on the upper part of the facade. In terms of ornamentation, in most of the façades, the moarragh mosaic tile or combination of tiles and bricks were used. Furthermore, some opening inscriptions are decorated with moarragh mosaic tile, too. All of these facades are made of brick and the dominant colours of the facade’ ornamentations are brown, yellow, Ultramarine and turquoise blue, lateritious and sometimes pink and white.
۲.
The mythical characters with the names of God or angels with multiple hands are seen in different cultures. In a number of religious buildings of Gilan and Mazandaran, there is an iconographic image with upright hands, depicted with inscription, Angel of Rain. In the Iranian mythology, Anahita is a special angel of water, and Tishtar, is the angel of rain. The purpose of this study is to examine the function of multi-handed humanoid characters and motifs in Iranian, Hindu and Buddhist cultures. In all of these cultures, numerous hands indicate helping and hands rising to signify prayer for divine mercy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the function of multi-faceted human characters and motifs in Iranian, Hindu and Buddhist cultures.
۳.
Most of the researchers in American politics and public policy focus on the Presidency, Congress, and Judiciary as the main institutions in the U.S. and consider the relations and interactions among them. However, the relationship between these main institutions affected by interest groups which can be seen in the process of decision making and their contribution to the public sphere. In an attempt to consider the role of interest groups, this paper’s main concern is to study the influence of interest groups on the public sphere in general, and particularly, the role of religious interest groups in the process of decision making for Muslim communities. The paper’s assumption is that the mosque and other religious institutions in the U.S. have multifaceted roles to mobilize Muslims and push them for sociopolitical participation and on the other hand; they can affect legislative and executive branches in their process of decision making. I will review the literature of interest groups, religious organizations, and policy-making models to explain the process of decision making and the factors that affect these procedures. Then I consider the effect of these Muslim institutions on the process of decision making in the U.S. and explain the relationship between these interest groups and policymakers in the U.S.
۴.
After moving from the asceticism (See Arberry 2007: 32–47), Sufism has always tended to redefine its basic beliefs and restrictive frameworks to getting out a number of groups who distanced themselves from certain frameworks and social behaviour and called them "non-Sufi" or "Sufi-pretenders." This method of differentiation was basically to reduce public criticism of contradictory behaviors of members of Sufi groups. This article focuses on the procedures of differentiation between members of Sufi groups in the Middle Iranian history, its goals and social consequences. The issues of this research are: Was the formation of a group called "Sufi-Pretender" among Sufi communities, due to the people's acceptance of the teaching of this movement or the weaknesses of Sufi organizations that provide the opportunity to form a group disproportionate to the invitation of Sufis? What solutions did the Sufi leaders find to deal with this problem and to settle the heterogeneous people from within their community? The methods of differentiation among Sufi groups were based on what necessitated and how were they defined? In this regard, it seems that the procedures of redefining the identity, in the form of formulating the practical life of mystics, emphasizing the practices of Sufi education, improving the livelihood of the group, informing the people.
۵.
Natural and human factors are always a threat to the destruction and damage of ancient monuments, and depending on the type of area, each of these factors can be damaging; many historical sites have been destroyed or seriously damaged as a result of these circumstances. Using GIS, the threatened regions of historical sites in Lorestan's Khorramabad region were identified to take action to preserve them. Shapur Khast Fortress (Falakol aflak), Broken Bridge, Safavid Bridge (Gap Bridge), brick minaret, Khorramabad inscription, and Gerdab Sangi are among the region's known ancient sites. Effective factors in the destruction of ancient monuments are five criteria defined by professionals in the field, which include the distance from the waterway, distance from the streets, slope, height, and slope orientation, all of which are depicted on a geographical map. The model is next assessed utilizing modeling by fuzzy logic operators approach and identifying the effect of each criterion. The final result includes five vulnerability classes: very high, high, medium, low, and very low. In this study, the AND operator provides the optimal risk-adjusted state, which has been proven by empirical verification and historical sources.
۶.
Demographic discourses in the media or public inform lay people and may impact population planning and policies. Understanding the situation and characteristics of public demographic discourses in Iran helps the government and policy makers to identify experts’ advice to use in effective policymaking and to discern public perceptions and understanding of population policies and promote changes in fertility behavior. The aim of this paper is to examine public demographic discourses which are produced and reproduced in the Iranian media to affect fertility policy and decision making after the announcement of General Population Policies by the Supreme Leader in 2014. This paper uses the critical discourse analysis for analyzing demographic discourses in websites of two influential Iranian newspapers, i.e., Keyhan and Iran, and demographers’ ideas and opinions available online during 21 March 2010 and 21 May 2016. The critical discourse analysis illustrates that the main discourse for public demography is “Conceptual”. Analyzing texts indicates that demographers have tried to reduce the gap between science – policy by disseminating simple and understandable demographic discussions in the media. They argue that demographic issues are specialized topics and require scientific and rigorous research. Therefore, the first step for policymaking and planning is the recognition and understanding of population situation. Public demography intends to facilitate the formulation of an evidence-based policymaking to achieve General Population Policy objectives. Policymakers are recommended to provide favorable social and economic contexts supporting family formation and childbearing towards sustainable population growth outlined in the General Population Policies. Public demography has a vital role in providing a deeper understanding of future population trends and policies.
