Introduction

In recent years, due to the increasing occurrence of natural hazards, the concept of resilience has gained significant attention. Resilience refers to the capacity of a system to absorb disturbances and reorganize during change while retaining its essential functions, structure, identity, and feedback mechanisms. Resilience should accurately predict a community's ability to recover after adversities. Living in hazard-prone environments does not necessarily mean vulnerability and damage; rather, the lack of resilience and the population's insufficient understanding of the type and extent of hazards are the main causes of damage. Recent studies indicate that the resilience of rural communities to natural hazards is very low. Given the persistent crises and increasing damages caused by them in rural areas, the concept of rural resilience has become a global consensus for achieving sustainable rural development. This issue becomes even more critical when considering that rural settlements, due to their unique characteristics such as limited open spaces, low technological levels, lack of access to resistant materials, non-compliance with safety principles in construction, substandard infrastructure, inappropriate location, and limited access to facilities and services, as well as low levels of education and skills regarding natural hazards, are more vulnerable to damage. Since the vulnerability of rural communities is one of the main obstacles to their development, especially in areas constantly exposed to hazards, resilience can serve as a facilitating approach to achieving development and improving the living conditions of residents (Anabestani et al., 2017: 20). Therefore, in rural areas, local management, as the closest level of governance to rural residents, plays a crucial role in reducing damages caused by crises. This study aims to address part of the research gap in this field. The study population includes 23 villages in the vicinity of Tabriz city, with a total population of 54,722. In these villages, natural hazards have caused significant concerns for rural communities. Additionally, poor planning for the establishment of rural settlements has led to increased damages during disasters. The seismic conditions and high potential for environmental hazards such as floods and droughts make the study of the current situation inevitable. The main objective of this research is to strategically analyze the four dimensions of resilience (economic, social, institutional, and physical-organizational) in rural settlements using the Meta-SWOT technique.
 

Methodology

This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of methodology. Data were collected through both documentary and field methods. The sample size was estimated at 21 individuals using purposive sampling. The required variables for the study were selected through the review of credible scientific sources and field studies in the target area. The four dimensions of rural settlement resilience (economic, social, institutional, and physical-organizational) were evaluated using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using Meta-SWOT software. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated at 0.867, and its validity was confirmed by experts and academic elites. The study population includes 23 villages in the vicinity of Tabriz city, with a total population of 54,722.
 

Results

The results showed that among the factors influencing the resilience of rural settlements in the vicinity of Tabriz, access to and use of temporary shelters, the ability to return to pre-disaster employment levels, the vulnerability of assets and properties after disasters, community participation in aiding victims, collective cooperation to reduce disaster-related damages, and the role of media in raising awareness had the highest strategic fit. The village of Mayan Sofla, with a score of 19, demonstrated the best performance, while the village of Khajeh Dizaj, with a score of 1, showed the weakest performance in terms of economic and social dimensions.
 

Discussion

The results indicate that to enhance the resilience of rural settlements, it is essential to consider economic stagnation and plan policies that create the necessary conditions for resilience. Additionally, the participation of all villagers in reducing vulnerability to natural hazards (such as floods and earthquakes) should be prioritized by authorities. Other effective strategies include raising public awareness of disaster response methods, the role of media in increasing awareness, membership in organizations such as the Red Crescent and Basij, access to medical centers after disasters, and community participation in aiding disaster victims
 

Conclusion

The strategic planning analysis of resilience in rural settlements in the vicinity of Tabriz requires the examination of several key components, including social, economic, institutional, and physical dimensions. This analysis aims to identify challenges, opportunities, and strategies that can enhance the resilience of these settlements to natural and human-induced hazards.
 
 
Acknowledgments
This research did not receive any specific grant. From funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.