Strategic Studies Quarterly

Abstract Social capital, a product of the formation and establishment of values, norms, traditions, customs and regulations in a spontaneous way within the context of social interrelations, provides the ground for active and positive cooperation, trust and partnership in social life by people. In this way, social capital prevents individuals from entangling in abnormality, deviations and crimes as manifestations of social insecurity and providing a kind of meaning security for individual. This securityinteractions in time in a social framework, gives meaning and orientation to individual behaviors thus playing a critical part in social security by underpinning regulated behavior. This articles deals with the relationship between social capital and social security from the perspective of social security in giving meaning tocapital should be maintained and enhanced by strengthening civil society vis—vis the state interventionist policies in order to confront the crisis of social security.

Abstract     Various theories have been developed during the past decade on human security; but most of them have remained at the theorization level and have failed to offer an assessable idea at the practical domain. This research discusses the most renowned methodologies for assessment of human security including the theory of general poverty, human security assessment, human security indicator, project for change in world environment and human security, report method of human security and TillerIn the Unitedincluding economic security, health safety, social safety, environmental security and personal security. This conceptualization of human security is one of the broadest and complete perceptions of security and at the same time has been subject to harsh criticisms due to its broad inclusiveness without creating a firm systematic relationship among its elements.Indexing and models of assessment discussed in the writing are based upon such views it as more suitable than the other models.    

Abstract     Equality constitutes the essence of justice. Equality means the right of individuals to enjoy similar rights in using existing material and spiritual opportunities found in the society in order to foster their capacities and potentials. Every phenomenon that has specific spatial diffusion is regarded as belonging to the study scope of geographical sciences. Spatial dimension of most of human-made phenomena is a function of political system in securing justice on the nationwide scale. National security is a function of (political, economic, cultural) interactions within and beyond the territory. Political system as the agent of the state seeks to formulate and implement strategies and plans, which reflect the spatial needs of the society. Hence, the function of government in increasing or decreasing related to justice can play the essential role and can pave the way for heightening or lowering national divergence or integration in the category of geographical equity.   Geographical equity puts emphasis upon distributive aspect of justice in light of area   discrepancies at the national level, keeping balance in relations between humankind and the environment, enjoying equal opportunities by citizens and reducing the adverse impact of unjust distribution of chances and possibilities in the domain of national territory while keeping the category of spatial diffusion at the center.

Abstract Operational budgeting is a part of policy package based on market in public sector in order to better provide public goods and services. This reform effort focuses on the cost of the unit providing goods and services and their quality efficiency as well as the outcomes resulting from credits allocated to executive and policy-making apparatus. Generally speaking, it refers to satisfaction of citizens such as tax-payers. In the first section of the article, the author counts certain functions of operational budgeting, arguing that its establishment will lead to the improvement of managerial and policy decisions, betterment of operations of the executive apparatus and increasing their accountability, as well as provision ofoutlook on the government positively and enhance its popularity.In the second section, the author holds that in spite of all deficiencies and difficulties that the first operational budgeting will bring about for the country, this reform effort should be continued to the end. The author at the end offers recommendations for strengthening the efficiency of such reform initiative.

Abstract The panacea of justice and its different versions is the foremost ideal of human societies and the objective of establishment of governments especially the theocratic systems. The Iranian society and the Islamic Republic also stress on justice and expansion of justice more than any other time in a way that it may be claimed thatthe other hand, the Islamic Republic of Iran has issued the 20-Year National Perspective Document to all powers and related institutions in December 2003. On this basis, overall policies and development plans or executive directives have to besets out to find the guidelines for the realization of social justice in the Islamic -Year Perspective Document at the 2025 horizon. It tries todesign the desirable strategy and role for the governments as appropriate to them.On this ground, the author argues that inclusiveness and permanence constitute two major guidelines to that purpose.

Abstract The threat of money laundry to national security particularly where the phenomenon is committed in an organized manner through electronic media, results   from crimes that are made mainly through banks and other financial institutes will include the entire of financial and economic system like a net at the stage of integration and solving. Consequently, due to diversity and plurality of financial exchanges, the net grows every moment and poses a serious menace to economic security. Money laundry is also located at the continued chain of criminal acts and their resultant benefits. In continuity of the chain, money laundry is committed by professionals in the most vulnerable parts of the financial system assisted by legal loopholes. The author of the article seeks to explain the huge impact of money laundry on national security, emphasizing its precise and meticulous criminalization in order to not only prevent the preceding crimes, but also preclude the confusion of commercial and banking relationships in an aura of conflicting concepts (legitimate and illegitimate). The situation of money laundry in Iran becomes clear as aided by this specific criminalization and a firm bulwark is established against the dirty money resources notably the revenues of drug trafficking.

Abstract The information age involves fundamental changes and gaps in the interpretation of strategic information. Although the role played by strategic information can be clarified by a category called decision, and the futurist approach in strategic decisions is the vital conditions for strategies, but its function includes two direct aspects: First, the recognition and evaluation of all intelligence news which have a bearing on the existing conditions, and second analyzing, concluding, and producing information that can prevent strategic surprise in one way or another in the future. This imaging in the information age makes us recognize the characteristics of information age and explain the functions of strategic information, while identifying the challenges to its processing in the information age. These challenges in turn include challenge in the type of information, challenge in the producer of information, challenge in the space of information analysis, challenge in the type of client, and challenge in the types of threats. The author concludes that in the new era, the domain of surprise especially with regard to threats without the threatening agent is tremendously more salient, more sensitive, and more efficient.