Document Type : *
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2
PhD Student in Political Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities ,Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3
PhD Student in Political Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
The present article aims to provide deeper insights into the concept of elite and elitism, to present a comprehensive and multidimensional definition of the geographical elite, and to explore their role in advancing geographical studies and improving the geographical space. This is a fundamental and conceptual study that adopts a descriptive-analytical method. The research data, collected from library studies, were subjected to qualitative analysis. According to the findings, the lack of a precise conceptualization of the geographical elite is felt. Therefore, this research first looks into different definitions of the Elite from diverse perspectives and then explores conceptual and theoretical approaches to the position of elites from the past to the present. Then, the measures of eliteness are investigated from the standpoint of organizations, state institutions, experts, and specialists, and the views of classical and contemporary experts are compared from a critical perspective. According to the results, the geographical elite can be conceptualized into two groups. The first group includes distinguished geographical thinkers and experts who play an important role in shaping the geographical space by producing content, offering consultation, and presenting systematic and scientific programs and plans. The second group, equipped with a realistic understanding and recognition of the geographical space, plays a key role in improving the quality of life and sustainable development by offering deeper insights into the geographical space for other people and making efforts for its preservation and improvement. The identification of these elites and tapping into their capacities can significantly help improve decision-making in various fields. Also, this research highlights the necessity of providing suitable grounds for identifying, nurturing, and supporting geographical elites.
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