Introduction
" Today, attention to local communities and participatory planning in urban management has gained special significance, and citizen participation in urban affairs has become one of the main concerns of city officials.
Based on the aforementioned, it appears that the level of citizen participation and engagement has a direct correlation with their satisfaction regarding the environment, facilities, and characteristics of these spaces. The availability of amenities and services for citizens—such as transportation, roads and streets, urban green spaces, a sense of security, aesthetically pleasing visuals, and so on—can foster greater participation, presence, and social interactions among them. The necessity of this is strongly felt in Bojnourd, the capital of North Khorasan Province.
Over the past two decades, Bojnourd has undergone significant transformation, particularly at the neighborhood level, due to its shift in political status from a county center to a provincial capital. However, no fundamental assessment has been conducted in this regard. Given that citizen participation is a key principle of sustainability and democracy in urban societies, evaluating participation levels and addressing barriers to participatory planning will undoubtedly be crucial for such cities, facilitating smoother and faster resolution of urban challenges.
Bojnourd has struggled to achieve appropriate development due to a lack of understanding of its potentials, capabilities, and available resources, as well as the failure to systematically identify problems and prioritize urban development challenges. Additionally, its elevated political status (from county to provincial capital over the past decade), along with its economic, occupational (due to provincial centrality), and social dynamics (the presence of diverse ethnic groups in the province), has led to a high population concentration compared to neighboring cities. This has resulted in significant environmental, social, and economic challenges, including marginalization, a lack of cooperation between citizens and urban managers, mutual distrust between municipal authorities and citizens, and inter-ethnic distrust among suburban residents.
Furthermore, the city faces constraints such as horizontal urban expansion, physical disorganization, the existence of development plans (comprehensive and detailed plans), and the absence of participatory frameworks. Given the increasing social and cultural anomalies and challenges in Bojnourd’s suburban areas, the necessity of leveraging social components—such as socio-cultural participation—to mitigate the adverse effects of these issues in the city and its peripheries is evident.
Therefore, this study seeks to develop a comprehensive model of the impact of urban spaces on socio-cultural participation in Bojnourd’s suburban areas, clarifying the prerequisites and challenges of participation. By providing a holistic picture of all variables influencing citizen participation, it aims to facilitate the realization of elevated actions in socio-cultural participation. Additionally, through proposed measures for improving suburban spaces, it intends to familiarize stakeholders and enthusiasts with the multifaceted and interconnected dimensions of this issue.
Thus, the present research seeks to answer the following questions: What is the status of citizen participation in the socio-cultural sphere in Bojnourd? What is the relationship between citizen participation in the socio-cultural sphere and the component of urban spaces in Bojnourd?
 
Methodology
The study is applied in purpose, quantitative in approach, and descriptive-analytical in method. The statistical population consists of Bojnourd residents (228,931 people), with a sample size of 384 determined using Cochran's formula and random sampling. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software.
 
Results and discussion
The results indicated that citizen participation in the indices (satisfaction with socio-cultural participation with a mean of 2.14, intercultural interaction with a mean of 2.17, participation in sustainable development programs with a mean of 2.22, and use of cultural media with a mean of 2.44) was assessed as unfavorable, while other indices were rated as below average. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship (at a 99% confidence level) between all dependent and independent variables (urban spaces). Finally, path analysis results showed that the component of "urban aesthetics and design" had the highest impact, with a direct effect of 0.188 and an indirect effect of 0.050, while the "socio-cultural" component had the lowest impact, with a direct effect of 0.154 and an indirect effect of 0.033 on citizens' participation levels.
 
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate that citizen participation in indicators of satisfaction with social and cultural engagement, intercultural interaction, participation in sustainable development programs, and the use of cultural media is at an undesirable level, while other indicators are also evaluated as below average. Data analysis using Pearson’s correlation test confirms that there is a positive and significant relationship between all indicators of citizen participation and urban spaces at a 99% confidence level. Additionally, the path analysis results reveal that the aesthetic and urban design component has the greatest impact (total effect: 0.238), while the social and cultural component has the least impact (total effect: 0.187) on citizen participation. These findings emphasize the necessity of improving the quality of urban spaces, particularly from an aesthetic and design perspective, as a key factor in enhancing citizens’ social and cultural participation.
 
Funding
According to the responsible author, this article has no financial support
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.