The place of praxis in urban security studies



Seyed Yahya Safavi

Professor of Political Geography, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran

Amir Hossein Elhami (Ph.D)

Member of Geography, Environment and Passive Defense of

Research Institute of Internal Security

Mohammad Amin Pourtaheri

Master in Urban Design,

Researcher of the Institute of Science and Education of Holy Defense



Extended Abstract

Introduction

Many researchers believe that in order to achieve urban security and better understand the areas related to security, its two conceptual and interpretive aspects, including the field of security philosophy, ontology and epistemology should be examined. Obviously, it is not possible to define a phenomenon such as urban security without understanding the concepts, because it must be seen to what extent the phenomenon is consistent with our feelings. In this area, issues such as why, what, value, purpose and the issue of security in the general sense and urban security in the specific sense should be addressed. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the dimensions and elements of research in the field of urban security. Many researchers divide the dimensions and elements of research into three general categories: philosophical elements, praxis and ethics. Undoubtedly, along with the requirements of using philosophical elements as well as ethics in the process of urban security studies, a special role should be considered for praxis and its place in these studies. At the praxis level, four elements of research are mentioned, including theory, methodology, methods and genre. Many believes that the failure to achieve acceptable results in the field of urban security studies depends on the lack of attention to the basic concepts of praxis and its subsets. A review of the literature and research background in this field indicates a deep research gap in the field of concept and methodology, so that no specific source explicitly mentions the field and position of praxis independently. Thus, the purpose of this article is to explain the position of praxis in urban security studies in order to provide a reasoned answer to these key questions: what is the meaning of praxis? What are its elements? And how its implementation and operational practices can be achieved in urban security studies.

Methodology

Due to the nature of the research, the literature review method, including searching and evaluating the existing literature on the position of praxis in urban security studies has been used. In this regard, four main processes include reviewing the literature, combining and summarizing the existing literature, critical collection of resources in order to identify the existing knowledge gap by showing the limitations of theories and views; the formulation of areas for further research through organized critical review has also been emphasized. In the research process, various methods of literature review including argumentative, integrative, historical, methodological, systematic and theoretical review studied, but two methods of methodological and theoretical review used.



Results and discussion

The elements and dimensions of research, including philosophical elements, ethics and praxis, each have important differences that affect in the research process of urban security studies. Different situations of axiology, ontology, epistemology and methodology produce different methods that ultimately lead to the production of knowledge about social phenomena. It can simply be said that the axiological or ontological position of each person, affects his epistemological position. In each of the dimensions and elements of the research praxis in the field of urban security studies, several spectrums can be identified. For example, the ontology of urban security research takes meaning of objectivism and subjectivism, or a combination of both, or in the field of methodology, the quantitative (positivist), qualitative (interpretivism), or both quantitative and qualitative methods (pragmatism). Researchers in the field of urban security studies need to pay special attention to the functional differences of each under the element of praxis.

Conclusion

According to each of the elements and dimensions of research in the field of urban security studies, while paying attention to the philosophical elements, ethics and praxis, it is possible to identify its most important subsets. In this regard, explaining the position of praxis and its constituent elements, including theory, methodology, method and genre or species, have a special place in urban security studies. Theory in urban security studies by providing a theoretical and conceptual framework of research provides a logical procedure and clear definitions of variables to provide a certain scope of research. In methodology, the urban researcher intends to provide a plan for combining theories and methods or an optimal combination of research elements in the field of urban security studies. Methods in the field of urban security studies are also a set of algorithms that the researcher uses during a research. These methods assist the researcher in selecting samples, collecting and analyzing data, and finding solutions. Genres are also classifications of different methods in terms of research approaches and strategies. For example, any approach to research in urban security studies depends specifically on the methods of data collection and analysis that must be carefully selected and implemented. Accordingly, the field of urban security studies, based on the idea of praxis requires the interaction of elements such as theory, methodology, method and genre and its connection with philosophical and ethics elements is inevitable.

Keywords:

Praxis, Theory, Methodology, Method, Genre, Urban security