Cultural Meanings of Water and the Gap Between Official Policies and Local Practices in the Use of Water Wells: An Ethnographic Study in the Agricultural Region of Amol

Articles in Press

Document Type : Case Study

Author

seyed ghasem حسنی

گروه مردم شناسی دانشگاه مازندران ، ایران بابلسر Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

10.22067/jwsd.v13i2.2602-1500

Abstract

Iran has been facing an escalating water crisis in recent decades, particularly concerning groundwater resources. This crisis is closely linked not only to climatic and hydrological factors but also to agricultural development patterns, weak water governance, and local social practices. This study aims to analyze the cultural and social dimensions of groundwater use and examine the gap between formal water management policies and local practices. The research adopts a qualitative ethnographic approach, with data collected through field observations and semi-structured interviews with more than 30 farmers and local informants in the Amol agricultural region. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that livelihood pressures, climate change, the decline of traditional water management systems, weak institutional governance, cultural perceptions of groundwater, and land-use changes are among the key factors driving increased groundwater extraction. Moreover, the gap between formal policies and local realities has led to the expansion of informal extraction and reduced policy effectiveness. The results highlight that sustainable groundwater management requires an interdisciplinary and participatory approach that considers cultural, social, and economic dimensions of water use.

Keywords

Groundwater

Water anthropology

Water governance

Agriculture

Mazandaran

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