Physical-Social Analysis of the Historical Fabric of Shooshtar City

Attention to the historical context of cities, which is a strong thread connecting any society with the past and reviving the identity of the cities, has been continuously increased and the protection of this valuable heritage has been the focus of the leaders of the communities. The purpose of this study is to identify the components’ capabilities that damage the historical fabric of Shooshtar and determine the degree of severity of each factor. The method of analysis is exploratory and descriptive-analytical. The required data were gathered through documentary sources and a survey. The sample was 11 experts who were selected among the experienced managers of the municipality of Shooshtar and the Administration of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism. The analysis was done using the Pastakia model, in which changes have been made according to this research. The findings showed the performance of 33 traumatic components in the historical context of Shooshtar, which, in total, revealed the capability and potential of high-level damage. Out of the three investigated dimensions, the components of the physical-environmental dimension have a greater role in damaging the city. Most of the components of this dimension showed the severity of the damage at the ‘very high’ level, while in each of the two social-cultural and institutional dimensions, in addition to a much smaller number of vulnerability components, half of the components showed the severity of damage at a ‘medium’ level and below. Preservation of the historical context, while requiring sufficient funds and benefiting from modern knowledge, techniques, and tools, also requires raising the awareness of citizens and reforming the management system and laws.