Syllabus: - Principles and concepts of society and sociology - Relationship between individuals and society - Definition of social concepts (groups, social role, social classification and stratification, social change, institutions and organizations) - Culture and cultural concepts - Cultural ecology - Social ecology - Society, culture and nature interactions - Local communities - Rural society in Iran - Social psychology in rural communities - Production structure in rural and nomadic communities - Demographic trend in rural and nomadic communities - Traditional cooperations in rural and nomadic communities - Land reform in Iran - Land utilization regimes in rural society of Iran - Nomadic society and its evolution - rural development in Iran (concepts, challenges and planning) - Development and natural resource sustainability - Social participation and local community's empowerment - Social facilitation in natural resource management - Indigenous knowledge and local traditions in natural resource management