Theorizing an Indigenous Model of People-Centered Crisis Management in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The growing frequency of natural disasters and the increasing complexity of emerging crises have intensified the need to reconsider conventional crisis management models. In this context, the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country with a high risk of natural hazards, requires a model that, in addition to utilizing institutional capacities, is grounded in popular foundations and social networks. Adopting a theoretical–applied approach and an explanatory case study method, this research seeks to develop and explicate an indigenous model of people-centered crisis management within the intellectual and social framework of the Islamic Republic. Data were collected from the field experiences of intermediary circles (“halqeh-haye miyani”) in three cases: the Khoy earthquake, the Sistan and Baluchestan flood, and the Aleppo earthquake in Syria, and analyzed through the grounded theory approach. The findings reveal that the people-centered crisis management model in the Islamic Republic is structured around four main stages: foresight and preparedness, crisis onset, field management, and post-crisis reconstruction. At each stage, the intermediary circles play a pivotal role as the connecting link between the people and the government. The results indicate the emergence of novel theoretical components such as “field-based democracy in crisis,” “linking circles as inter-level actors,” and “intelligent decision-making based on social participation.” This model can be regarded as a step toward developing an indigenous theory of crisis management within the framework of the Islamic Republic.