This book aims at shedding light on the question of participation in Iran; which is a paradoxical one: it is old and new, dysfunctioning and functioning, disappointing and promising. This slippery status of participation convinces scholars to suggest contradictory interpretations and understandings about the existence, functionality, and potentiality of this concept. The book therefore shows the different perspectives, interpretations, historical developments and case studies of participation in Iran, thus giving the reader a kaleidoscope view on the question of participation in Iran.

Introduction (Hans-Liudger Dienel, M. Reza Shirazi, Sabine Schröder and Jenny Schmithals), Part I: Participatory Framework, 1. Citizens Participation in Historical and Current Urban Management Systems in Iran (Hossein Imani Jajarmi), 2. The Role of Participation in Iran after the Shift in Urban Governance in 1997 (Zahed Shafiei), 3. Historical Obstacles Preventing Public Participation in Iran: A Planning Practitioner's Point of View (Jahanshah Pakzad), Part II: Participative Methods and Instruments, 4. Neighbourhood Councils and Local Civic Associations in Tehran, Opportunities and Challenges (Zahed Shafiei), 5. 'Facilitation Office', A Paradigmatic Shift or a Pragmatic Tool? (M.Reza Shirazi and Somaiyeh Falahat), 6. Urban Regeneration Policy in Iran: Moving from Hierarchy to Participation - The Case of the Facilitation Office of Development in Farahzad (Mahfarid Mansoorian), 7. 'School Mayors of Iran' - A Project for Social Participation in Urban Life: Lessons Learned (Parviz Piran), 8. A Citizens Exhibition in Hashtgerd New Town: Young Cities - Developing Urban Energy Efficiency: A View from Hashtgerd Citizens (Sabine Schröder and Jennt Schmithals), 9. Possibilities of Participation for Sustainable Urban Development in the City of Arak - Future Workshop in the Sense of Action Research (Mohsen Makki and Mahkam Safaei-Shahverdi), Part III: Perspectives of Different Stakeholders, 10. Evaluation of Participatory Plans in Iran (From Reality to Operation) (Hamid Majdei and Zahra Sadat Saeideh Zarabadi), 11. Communities of Practice of Planning in Iran and Integration of Residents into Planning (Maryam Kohansal Nodehi and Kaveh Fouladinasab), 12. Promoting Public Participation and Climate Change Consideration in Local Government: The Case Study of Iran (Ghazaleh Jasbi), Part IV: Local Case Studies, 13. Developing a Common Vision in the Yousef-Abad Neighbourhood in Tehran - A Comparison of Traditional Meeting-based and Web-based Techniques of Public Participation (Naser Barakpour and Marjan Sharafi), 14. World Bank Participatory Urban Projects for Enabling and Regularizing Informal Settlements in Iran: From Ambitions to Reality (Kaveh Fouladinasab and Maryam Kohansal Nodehi), 15. Tracking Citizen Participation in Informal Settlements' Upgrading Programmes - Case Study of Bandar-Abbas City's Informal Settlements Upgrading Project in Iran (Arman Fathejalali and Mojtaba Rafian), Concluding Remark: Paradox of Citizen Partipation in Iran (M. Reza Shirazi)