Institutional–Structural Contexts and Value–Cultural Consequences of Modernism in the Formation of Social Indifference: A Qualitative Study in Three Districts of Tehran

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the institutional–structural contexts and value–cultural consequences of modernism contributing to social indifference and to explain variations in its patterns across Districts 3, 6, and 16 of Tehran. This qualitative study employed thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Data were collected through 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with experts, university academics, researchers, and individuals knowledgeable about social issues residing in Districts 3, 6, and 16 of Tehran. Participants were purposively selected until theoretical saturation was achieved. Following transcription, the interviews were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Trustworthiness was enhanced through member checking and inter-coder agreement. The inter-coder Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.85 indicated a high level of coding agreement. The thematic analysis demonstrated that social indifference emerged through the interaction of two major mechanisms: institutional–structural conditions and the value–cultural consequences of modernism. Institutionally, inefficiency of formal institutions, erosion of social capital, and perceived injustice reduced interpersonal and institutional trust, perceived efficacy, and motivation for collective participation. Culturally, excessive individualism and anomie, instrumental rationality and calculative orientations, desacralization and spiritual disengagement, and consumerism and materialism shifted priorities toward personal interests and weakened sensitivity to collective concerns. Cross-district comparison revealed distinct configurations: institutional inefficiency and desacralization were more prominent in District 3; consumerism, excessive individualism, and weakened social capital characterized District 6; whereas perceived injustice, relative deprivation, and institutional inefficiency were particularly salient in District 16. Social indifference in Tehran is a multidimensional phenomenon generated by the interaction between institutional weaknesses and modern value transformations. Effective responses therefore require context-sensitive and district-specific interventions that strengthen institutional accountability and effectiveness, reduce inequalities in urban service distribution, rebuild social capital, and reinforce norms of civic responsibility, solidarity, and collective participation.