Boundary market and rural areas: Investigating the role of villagers in the boundary market of BANE

Muhammad amirpanahi: PhD in sociology of development, Dept of Social development studies, University of Tehran, Iran
Mehdi taleb: Professor of rural sociology, Dept of Social development studies, University of Tehran, Iran
Hossain mirzaee: Assistant Professor, Dept of Social development studies, University of Tehran, Iran


Introduction
formatting boundary markets as a new method for economic development of Iran frontier areas has been proposed in recent decades. In the border trade various actors involved. The main approach of the researches done in the field of border trading has focused on economic and security approach and the role of government in this process, and the role of social actors in the development of cross-border trading has rarely been investigated .A fact which has rarely been focused on is that which actors were involved in the formation of boundary market and how they impact on the development of border trade. In the process of formation and development of border trade, various individuals and groups have played a role. In this research we focused on the role of rural actors in the formation of market of Bane and have put forward the idea that the quality and type of their role in the process of border trade over time, have been determined their status in the market activity, and Due to the significant Attendance of rural actors in market activities created changes in the dimensions of rural life. Villagers have created relationships beyond the border over time and so created important linkages to strengthen trading relations. This paper seeks to examine the role of villagers in the formation of BANE market (in Kurdistan province) and their position in the market and recognizing changes in rural areas as a result of the villagers’ entrance in border trade.

Methodology
In this study, qualitative method was used to study the issue. Data in this study were obtained using depth interviews, filed observation, and review of the documents. Statistical population is involved villagers in market. At first, by exploratory study were obtained basic information about involved villagers in the border trade, local informed people, border villages and goods entrance pathways. The method of "snowballing" was used to access to samples. Depth interviews were done with 30 samples. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. Accordingly, we tried to divide the text in a systematic way to analytical units and develop categories based on the special theoretical aspects. Sectors that had little relevance or explanations that had similar meanings were excluded and similar phrases were gathered in one group and summarized and finally the analysis was performed based on the items extracted from the text and was analyzed using theoretical concepts.

Result
This issue has been analyzed in two parts: First investigating of villagers role in formation of border trade and their position in the market of Bane and second, recognizing changes in rural areas as a result of the villagers’ entrance in border trade. .Based on the results, market has historical roots and has been formed based on social, cultural, kinship, geographical and job ties of inhabitants on both sides of the border. so the villagers’ role is vital as the first line of boundary relationship in this area and they have succeeded in different market segments such as imports, shop keeping, guarantor, porter( to carry goods in back) and freight. They work in high and low level section of market. Although more of them have occupied the subordinate parts the market but rural actors are one of the vital and effective actors in border trade. Such a situation has caused a combination of "urban-rural structure" in market of Bane. Due to the significant Attendance of rural actors in market activities, some changes have been occurred in the livelihoods of villagers and the rural population, especially after 2000 that border trade flourished. So that now days only 16 percent of workers worked in the agricultural part and also a high rate of rural migration to urban areas has been occurred in this period. the strengthening and expansion of border trade and the villagers’ participation in these activities means, reducing the share of agriculture in the economy and also the reduction of the rural population. Although 31.5% of the population live in rural areas, but mainly in the way of living and rural economy dominated by border trade. Major changes have occurred in rural livelihoods and more changes will be observed in the future.

Keywords: boundary market, rural-urban migration, urban-rural composition of the market, market groups, villagers,kinship ties