First Advisor

Megan Horst

Term of Graduation

Spring 2024

Date of Publication

6-10-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Urban Studies

Department

Urban Studies and Planning

Language

English

Subjects

oil, petroleum, political ecology, social reproduction, urban ecology, urban history

DOI

10.15760/etd.3782

Physical Description

1 online resource (xiii, 260 pages)

Abstract

This dissertation examines the transformative impact of the oil industry on social ‎reproduction ‎‎within the urban and ecological landscapes of Khuzestan Province, Iran, and ‎its center, the city ‎of Ahwaz. Specifically, the study sought to understand the effects of ‎the oil industry on social ‎reproduction in three key areas: gender relations, race/ethnic ‎relations, and daily life ‎amidst ‎environmental pollution caused by the oil industry.

‎This is explored through three sub-questions: 1) How are hierarchical socio-‎spatial ‎relationships perpetuated through practices of ‎everyday life? 2) How are gender ‎relationships redefined and ‎reproduced in the oil city? 3) How ‎are ethnic relationships ‎redefined and reproduced in the oil ‎city? The research ‎methodology combines extensive ‎archival work, examining the ‎historical development of the ‎oil industry in Khuzestan, ‎with contemporary ethnographic ‎methods, including interviews with ‎‎35 residents of ‎Ahwaz, to capture their experiences of social ‎reproduction under the influence ‎of ‎environmental pollution from the oil industry.‎

By integrating theories of petro-colonialism and domestic colonialism with Urban ‎Political ‎Ecology‎, the dissertation frames oil cities as spaces where foreign and domestic ‎colonial agendas ‎converge, leading to significant socio-ecological disparities. My ‎approach to UPE extends ‎beyond spatial and ‎environmental transformations to include ‎the ‎‎bodily and material impacts of ‎such changes. ‎This theoretical framework helps to ‎understand the pervasive impact of the oil ‎industry on social reproduction, particularly ‎through the lens of environmental degradation and ‎its disproportionate effects on ‎marginalized communities.‎

The dissertation contributes to the academic discourse by highlighting the under-‎researched area ‎of oil production's impact on urban spaces and social relations. It calls for ‎a more embodied, at ‎the same time multiscalar approach to urban political ecology, which ‎considers the lived ‎experiences of those residing in oil-rich regions. Ultimately, the ‎research aims to provide insights ‎that could inform policies and strategies to mitigate the ‎negative impacts of the oil industry and ‎promote more sustainable and equitable urban ‎development in regions like Khuzestan. This ‎study ‎not only provides insights for urban ‎planners and policymakers but also offers valuable ‎‎historical ‎and contemporary analyses ‎for understanding the socio-ecological transformations ‎driven by ‎the ‎oil industry in ‎Khuzestan‎.‎‎ ‎

Rights

© 2024 Maryam Amiri

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/42281

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