Iran-Water Resources Research

Iran-Water Resources Research

New Thinking in the Conceptual Framework of Hydro-Hegemony, with Emphasis on the Aras Transboundary Basin

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Ph.D. Candidate in Political Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor of Political Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Professor of Political Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Considering the growing trend of water shortage and crisis in the world, the conceptual and theoritical framework of hydro-hegemony as part of the new ideas and concepts in geopolitics and hydropolitics, is of increasing importance to predict the behaviors and strategies of the hydro-hegemonic and non-hydro-hegemonic actors over transboundary basins. There is no consensus among hydropolitical science thinkers on the conceptual framework of hydro-hegemony and hydro-hegemony and its related models have been merely used to analyze several important transboundary basins in the world. As a result, this research aims at the completion of the conceptual framework of hydro-hegemony as well as boosting its ability to adapt to different transboundary basins in the world. In this regard, the Aras transboundary basin, which is shared among the 4 countries of Iran, Türkiye, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia and its hydro-hegemonic relations can be investigated due to the multiplicity of state actors and their sometimes conflicting interests, has been selected as a case study. This research is theoretical-fundamental, descriptive-analytical and is based on the causal research method. The research has reached a series of changes, omissions and additions in the conceptual framework of hydro-hegemony, which is mainly based on increasing the role of power in the concept of hydro-hegemony and its influence on other elements of this framework.
Keywords

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  • Receive Date 31 August 2023
  • Revise Date 21 March 2024
  • Accept Date 30 March 2024