Slum Settlements
zahra shahihagh; Minoo Gharehbaglou; Hamed Beyti
Abstract
Highlights- Any factor that makes residential spaces liveable, also increases the capabilities of its residents.- The most important and influential dimension in the direction of empowering the residents is the components of the perceptual-meaning dimension of livability (sense of belonging, security, ...
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Highlights- Any factor that makes residential spaces liveable, also increases the capabilities of its residents.- The most important and influential dimension in the direction of empowering the residents is the components of the perceptual-meaning dimension of livability (sense of belonging, security, religious beliefs and way of life).- In terms of economic empowerment, the material criteria of livability have the greatest impact; Also, the functional-activity criteria of livability, two dimensions of economic and social empowerment, and the perceptual-meaning criteria of livability mostly affect the psychological capability of the residents.- The northern area among other marginal areas of Tabriz city, due to the lowest level of livability, has the lowest level of realization of empowerment components, which should be given special attention.
Introduction
Informal settlements, as a prominent manifestation of urban poverty, are typically formed within or adjacent to cities. These settlements often lack building permits and official urban development plans. The primary reason for their formation is the inability of people to secure housing in the formal market, compelling them to seek shelter through informal means. This leads to numerous problems. Consequently, various approaches have been proposed globally, particularly in third-world countries, to address the issue of informal settlements.
In contemporary discourse, empowerment is considered the most effective strategy. It aims to enhance the capabilities and improve the living standards of residents while upholding the principles of human dignity and social justice. However, neglecting the environmental qualities and the needs of the residents can cause this strategy to fail. Life unfolds within the context of the environment, and livability addresses the connection between housing and human life, along with its needs, by focusing on the quality of the environment in residential spaces.
Theoretical Framework
This research encompasses two key concepts and variables: viability and empowerment. Researchers have identified various dimensions of the concept of empowerment. Some scholars emphasize the psychological aspects of empowerment, considering elements such as the feeling of competence, the sense of being effective, and the perception of freedom of action as core components of empowerment. In contrast, the social dimension of empowerment has been prominently featured in the theories of many empowerment thinkers, including Sara Longwe (1991), Stromquist (1999), Naila Kabeer (2012), and Hoyt Oliver (2020). These theorists highlight awareness, interaction, and social participation as crucial elements of empowerment. Their theories stress the importance of awareness and the power of connections, interactions, and social partnerships in empowering individuals.
Additionally, the presence of elements such as welfare and access (Longwe), income (Sen, 1999), resources and possessions (Kabeer), and economic ability (Stromquist, 1999) among the components related to empowerment underscores the significance of the economic dimension of empowerment. Therefore, the concept of empowerment encompasses three primary dimensions: economic, social, and psychological.
However, the most critical aspect of empowerment is gaining the power to control and master the forces that affect human life. By acquiring certain abilities, individuals can influence the determining factors of their lives. Life is one of the most fundamental aspects of human existence, and attention to it and the quality factors of residential space can enhance the quality of the environment and the satisfaction of residents.
Based on previous studies and in line with the research's purpose and its relationship with the dimensions of empowerment, the components of livability are categorized into three dimensions: material (economic, physical, environmental), functional-activity, and perceptual-meaning (cultural and psychological). The relationship between each of the three dimensions of empowerment and the dimensions of viability was examined.
Methodology
The research method is practical based on its objective. In terms of data collection and analysis, it employs a correlational approach and is founded on the structural equation model. The primary tool for data collection is a questionnaire. The statistical population of the study comprises residents from the following neighborhoods: Seilab in the northern zone, Abuzar in the northwestern zone, Zamzam in the southern zone, and Akhmakiyeh in the southwestern zone.
To determine the sample size, a simple random sampling method was utilized. Initially, a pre-test was conducted as a pilot among 35 residents of the aforementioned neighborhoods, and the Cronbach's alpha value was calculated to be 0.744. For estimating the sample size, the formula proposed by Tabachnick and Fidell (M8 + 50 ≥ N) was applied, resulting in an estimated sample size of 150 individuals.
Results and Discussion
The research findings are divided into four parts:
Structural Model Analysis:
The structural model reveals a positive and significant relationship between the variables of empowerment and viability.
Effective Dimensions in Livability:
The most influential dimension in livability is the perceptual-semantic dimension. Within this dimension, the components of sense of belonging to the place and security are the most effective criteria for the livability of residential spaces. Following these are the components of the functional-activity and material dimensions.
The most impactful dimension for empowering residents is the psychological (cognitive) dimension, where the components of meaningfulness and trust are the most significant criteria for empowerment.
Interrelation of Viability and Empowerment Dimensions:
Each dimension and criterion of viability affects not just one, but all dimensions of empowerment. However, by comparing their factors, it becomes evident that each dimension and criterion of livability in residential spaces has a more pronounced effect on one or two dimensions of empowerment.
Comparative Analysis of Informal Zones in Tabriz City:
The degree of fulfillment of the functional-activity dimension components of livability is consistent across all four informal zones of Tabriz city, with a range of 3.33-3.66. This indicates that in all areas, the access to public transportation, employment services, educational, health, sports, and leisure facilities, as well as the level of participation and sociability of the residents, are similar and face the same challenges.
The differences in the vitality of the zones are attributed to variations in the components of the material and perceptual-semantic dimensions.
The northern zone exhibits the lowest level of empowerment, while the southern zone shows the highest level compared to other zones.
By refining the analysis and focusing on the specific dimensions and criteria, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of how various factors contribute to the livability and empowerment of residents in informal zones. This nuanced approach highlights the importance of addressing both perceptual-semantic and material dimensions to enhance the overall quality of life in these areas.
Conclusion
The research results indicate that any factor enhancing the viability of residential spaces concurrently boosts the empowerment of their residents. The most influential aspect in empowering residents is the perceptual-semantic components of livability. This is because everyone's living environment contains elements that affect their activities, and a person's behavior is influenced not only by their inner needs and motivations but also by their living environment. Ignoring the livability capacities, especially the perceptual-semantic components, in planning and intervention measures will pose serious challenges in improving the quality of life and empowering residents.
Thus, in all marginalized areas, strategies should be adopted to realize and strengthen the sense of belonging, security, and attention to the residents' religious beliefs and way of life for their psychological empowerment, which has the most significant impact on their overall empowerment. Among the marginalized areas of Tabriz city, the northern regions exhibit the lowest level of realization of empowerment components due to the lowest level of viability, necessitating special attention.
Regarding economic empowerment, the material criteria of livability have the greatest impact. Additionally, the functional-activity measures of livability significantly influence two dimensions of empowerment: economic and social empowerment, respectively. The perceptual-semantic criteria predominantly affect the psychological empowerment of the residents.
Slum Settlements
Mojtaba Arasteh; mohammad hosein pour hasan zadeh; Maryam Baghaei
Abstract
Highlights- COVID-19 has revealed gaps in health management along with a high rate of infectious diseases in informal settlements.- We focused on three components and eight indicators of resilience to evaluate the performance of NGOs in the control of the COVID-19 outbreak.- The vulnerability of informal ...
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Highlights- COVID-19 has revealed gaps in health management along with a high rate of infectious diseases in informal settlements.- We focused on three components and eight indicators of resilience to evaluate the performance of NGOs in the control of the COVID-19 outbreak.- The vulnerability of informal settlements in the city of Urmia, Iran to COVID-19 was based mainly on economic-livelihood components. IntroductionIn recent years, the global crisis of the coronavirus pandemic has placed cities and urban management in difficult conditions. Plenty of evidence and research emphasizes that the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 was severer in informal settlements due to the low quantitative and qualitative characteristics of these areas. These settlements are always encountered with many problems such as poverty and unemployment, lack of security and various social damages, socio-economic injustice, health-environmental problems, and lack of concern from the municipality. Furthermore, people living in these settlements face greater risks due to the high population density, improper waste management and low-quality drainage systems, and very poor health conditions and high rates of transmission of infectious diseases. In recent years, therefore, it has turned into one of the most important challenges for urban managers in these areas to examine the ways to address and control the spread of this pandemic disease and increase the resilience of informal settlements against it. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the promotion of the resilience of informal settlements in Urmia against the COVID-19 pandemic.Theoretical frameworkPlenty of research investigates various indicators of resilience. This research is focused mainly on the explanation of the components and indicators of social resilience. Based on the theoretical framework, the three main components of social resilience include the socio-cultural, socio-economic, and environmental-physical components. In the following, the effective indicators for promotion of societal resilience in informal settlements are explained.Elimination of the panic caused by problems. When a crisis occurs, residents of an informal settlement should not feel that they are alone, and it is necessary for government institutions and NGOs to support them.Increase in the level of knowledge. Through a rise in the level of knowledge and information of the residents of informal settlements, appropriate conditions can be provided to control crises and increase their resilience.Provision of education to everyone. In many cases, the conditions required for facing a crisis can be provided with inclusive, targeted education, especially upon social, economic, physical, and health crises.Enhancement of participation. An important achievement of NGOs is to enhance public participation and increase social capital, which can establish a powerful link between the society and government.Enhancement of coordination between people and executive institutions. A specific effective role of NGOs is to function as an intermediary between the government and society.Financial and subsistence aid. The social, economic, physical, and health crises that occur in an informal settlement often lead to severer poverty and deprivation, where many families need direct financial and subsistence aid.Employment. Assisting administrative bodies, NGOs are considered as appropriate trustees for the implementation of job preparation, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and marketing and creation of a business environment.Public health. Through improvement of public health in an informal settlement, the quality of the environment can be raised, and the spread of infectious and pandemic diseases can be reduced.The quality of the environment. The quality of the residential environments in these settlements is often low, and many citizens living in these areas do not have proper access to services, facilities, infrastructures, and public spaces.MethodologyThis is a descriptive-analytical study with a quantitative approach. The research population includes all NGOs in the city of Urmia, Iran that are active in the field of countering COVID-19. The simple random sampling method was adopted using a lottery. The data were analyzed using descriptive mean statistics and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Friedman tests in SPSS.Results and discussionThe results demonstrate that the activity of NGOs to improve the resilience of informal settlements in Urmia against COVID-19 in the socio-cultural component is above average, with a score of 3.66. Moreover, the economic-livelihood component exhibits an average of 2.95, which is equivalent to average and below, and the environmental-physical component shows an average of 3.11, which is evaluated as a moderate score.Hence, it can be stated that the NGOs in Urmia have failed to provide a balanced, coordinated, fair approach with respect to the socio-cultural, economic-livelihood, and environmental-physical components due to the lack of coherence and integrated management in the face of unexpected crises such as the COVID-19 disease. The similarity of this research to others lies in the unified, integrated, coordinated management of government and local institutions upon crisis. Moreover, most researchers emphasize the management authority and social power of NGOs. Generally, it should be stated that NGOs must be equipped with effective financial, support, and educational tools in order to increase the resilience level of the residents of the settlements against crises. They should be strengthened to facilitate institutions’ provision of financial services, economic empowerment, and job creation.ConclusionOverall, we conclude that NGOs have performed appropriate activities to improve the resilience of informal settlements in Urmia against the COVID-19 disease. However, their performance has been different in a comparative analysis of components and indicators. The results of the Friedman test on the indicators demonstrates that the NGOs in the informal settlements of Urmia have exhibited effective activities on most socio-cultural and environmental-physical indicators (such as essential skills against COVID-19, provision of sanitary products, prioritization of disadvantaged people, encouragement of the benefactors to help the poor, disinfection of the environment, and encouragement of residents to help clean their neighborhoods). However, most economic indicators have failed to function effectively. Finally, we suggest that NGOs focus on attraction of financial and economic support from the governmental institutions, because this study shows that this pandemic disease has the most tangible impact on the economy of residents of informal settlements. It is also necessary to pay particular attention to provision of incentives and financial support packages to protect the health and economic and social security of people living in these settlements.
Slum Settlements
Zahra Eskandari Dorbati; Mehrdad Javaheripour; Farah Torkaman
Abstract
Highlights - Creation of fields of social participation requires an understanding of the capabilities of these communities.- The theoretical approach of phenomenological research and its experimental planning is qualitative.- From the point of view of the lived experience of the studied social group, ...
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Highlights - Creation of fields of social participation requires an understanding of the capabilities of these communities.- The theoretical approach of phenomenological research and its experimental planning is qualitative.- From the point of view of the lived experience of the studied social group, the space expands until it provides livelihood.- Construction of flexible spaces is required to meet daily needs. IntroductionAccording to official documents, the population of informal settlements in the country has increased to more than twice as much in the ten years between 2003 and 2013, from 4.5 million to 12 million. There have been many studies on this urban phenomenon in the country that have influenced government policies and plans, ranging from destruction of the settlements to their reorganization. These studies have investigated the causes and factors concerning the formation of these settlements mainly with quantitative and sometimes with qualitative research methods, indicating social harms and assessing the needs for services. However, many of these studies have relied on outdated existing theories and inherent pre-judgements. This research attempts to understand the dynamics of resident social groups with respect to the informal urban spaces of these settlements. This aim is pursued through attempts to learn about the residents’ ability to overcome urban poverty and the ways they organize their daily lives, given the shortcomings of the research methodology. The purpose of this study is to understand the phenomenon of space from the perspective of the lived experience of the inhabitants of informal settlements and to answer the central question of how this has shaped the lives of those who live there. Theoretical FrameworkThe theoretical approach of this phenomenological research and its empirical planning are qualitative. This approach has made it possible to understand the phenomenon under investigation from the perspective of the lived experience of the residents and has helped develop the methods of observation, enquiry, narrative analysis, and theme extraction. Theories are considered as a tool for analysis of the findings of this research and support the narratives for understanding and reflecting the dynamics of social-livelihood groups with respect to the informal urban space of Akbar Abad, Iran. In line with this approach, beyond the physical geography of the place, this research investigates the lived fabric considering the symbolic meanings and importance of places, as reflected in the theoretical writings of human geographers and urbanists such as Massey (1994). Accordingly, the reciprocal interaction between the built environment, social space, and actors’ agency, with imagined, lived, and perceived spaces, results in the construction of new lived and perceived spaces.MethodologyMost of the previous studies have been conducted through survey questionnaires and are not profound enough to identify the relationship between residents and where they live. Therefore, based on the phenomenological theoretical framework on informal settlements, the research design involved qualitative methods of data collection, including in-depth semi-structured interviews, participatory observation, and purposeful sampling. The subject of the case study was Nasimshahr (Akbarabad), 15 km southeast of Tehran. The researcher lived in this city for a while and came to a general understanding of the relationship between space and the inhabitants’ lives. The observations, interviews, and sampling were carried out at three spatial levels. These included Nasimshahr as the first level, the area within this city named Akbarabad as the middle level, and the urban space of Imam Hassan Mojtaba Bazaar (known as kooche tolidi (‘manufacturers’ alley’)) as the micro level. The socio-economic group of clothing producers was chosen as the unit of analysis. The data obtained on the residents’ lived experience were combined with available census data. A one-year intermittent residency within the scope of the study area provided the researcher with an opportunity to get closer to the social group of interest, and a different understanding of the presuppositions concerning the subject was formed through participatory observation. Results and Discussion In this research, it was found that understanding the phenomenon of space in Nasimshahr is not possible without an understanding of the interaction between socio-livelihood groups with socio- physical space. At the beginning of the formation of these settlements in the 1980s, individual agency along with the support of family and kinship networks played a key role in the generation of a private space (home) incorporating any means of livelihood. After that, until the late 1990s, the collective movement that is crystallized in the livelihood group–which is the focus of this study–took shape through labor, skills, and employment networks. Imam Hassan Mojtaba Bazaar resulted from the events in this period. For twenty years, capital has become more important than availability of labor, skills, and social networks, and physical space is dominating, and limiting, residents’ agency in the organization of the space they can afford to interact with livelihoods. The space of Imam Hassan Bazaar is the pinnacle of residents’ understanding and shaping of space. In this informal market space, clothing manufacturers try to establish a dynamic connection between Tehran and their livelihood and social group and hope that this city will turn into and be recognized as the clothing hub of the country using the opportunities in Nasimshahr. This study contributed to the phenomenological method of understanding space, and the findings are limited to the researcher’s understanding of the participants’ lived experience and life in Nasimshahr.ConclusionThe preliminary results showed that although economic activities grow in Nasimshahr, as in any other urban region within a metropolitan area, some activities to earn income such as those of brokers, recyclers, street vendors, and producers and sellers of garments assume a particular position. The socio-livelihood group of clothing manufacturers was selected as a research unit for this study due to characteristics such as inclusivity, entrepreneurship, and the ability to move the activity between the living environment (home) and the general environment of the market place. Therefore, Imam Hassan Mojtaba Bazaar, which was formed over time in the interaction with this income and employment generation activity, was studied as the subject of a case study on informal urban spaces.
Slum Settlements
Kayomars Irandoost; Milad Doostvandi; Kasra Ashouri; seyed mohamad Ghanezade
Abstract
Highlights- Different approaches and policies have been adopted to confront spontaneous urban settlements, which have failed to stop the development process of these settlements.- The informal urban settlement needs to be politically approved in developing countries, such as Iran, as it will be involved ...
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Highlights- Different approaches and policies have been adopted to confront spontaneous urban settlements, which have failed to stop the development process of these settlements.- The informal urban settlement needs to be politically approved in developing countries, such as Iran, as it will be involved in a significant part of the urbanization process.- Presenting a novel approach known as informal armatures, David Gouverneur attempted to adopt a futuristic, protective, realistic perspective on spontaneous urban settlements and to consider administrative, environmental, morphological, planning, and design issues.- In Sanandaj, it can be helpful to consider the informal armatures approach, given that three spatial layers of the spontaneous urban settlement have taken shape so far, and the city can develop in the eastern part of the city. IntroductionDuring the past few decades, there has been widespread immigration to urban centers of wealth for utilization of opportunities and better conditions in prospect due to the dominance of the city-oriented capitalist economy, shortcomings, and failures of governments and official markets, and inequality in southern countries. Along with the inefficiency of governments and urban planning systems in satisfying needs, particularly those for dwelling and employment, this trend has led to spontaneous urban settlements. Therefore, it is essential to provide low-income groups with dwellings and present solutions in accordance with the residents’ financial capability. David Gouverneur presented a novel approach in 2015, which came to be known as informal armatures (IA). He believes that spontaneous urban settlements involve numerous physical and social complexities, and to simplify, the environment, morphology, and administrative aspects need to be balanced. He states that the problems with these settlements can be solved by the people, local governments, and central governments. This research has investigated the informal armatures approach in Sanandaj, Iran.Theoretical frameworkBeyond the theoretical controversies in this regard, the IA approach presents a framework for spontaneous neighborhoods before the occupation of land with a preventive, futuristic attitude. This approach approves of spontaneous urban settlements’ innovative, innate socio-spatial features and adopts this as a point to begin improvement. The conditions that need to be met for a successful IA approach include pre-emptive and transformative nature (political acceptance of the informality, presentation of appropriate public land with participation from the public and private sectors, and instruction of staff capable of implementing the approach), consideration of physical and performative components, hybrid and multi-scalar operations, environment-friendly nature, consideration of flexible planning components, and adaptability to different site conditions. Moreover, corridors, patches, and custodians are major components in planning and design based on the IA approach.MethodologyThe paradigm governing this research is pragmatism, which some contemporary methodologists have considered the foundation of research methodology with hybrid methods. In accordance with this worldview, the conceptual framework of the research has first been extracted besides an examination of the theoretical views on the topic based on Gouverneur’s perspectives in order to provide the background. Then, it was investigated how the approach could be adapted to Sanandaj in line with the research purpose. The statistics required to apply the approach to Sanandaj were extracted from the censuses of individuals and dwellings and the village lexicons, and satellite images and location data on the current state of Sanandaj in ArcGIS were used for the analysis of the spatial conditions of the city.Results and discussionSanandaj is a city with particular topographic features and looks as if located in a space cup due to the highs around the city and the variety of hills inside it. It can be extended mainly on the eastern side. Moreover, three spatial layers of spontaneous urban settlements have taken shape in Sanandaj so far. The first layer is the fixed layer inside the city; the origination dates back to the period between the 1960s and 1980s and is regarded today as the distressed middle area of the city. The second layer involves settlements with backgrounds as villages located within the limits of Sanandaj, which are known today as unconnected urban areas and have been excluded from the informal settlement. A third layer is also taking shape around the city, given the barren lands inside it, including villages with growing populations. The investigations demonstrated that Sanandaj could be considered for pilot research on the application of the IA approach, given its features.ConclusionInspired by the international policies, different approaches have been adopted so far in Iran with respect to spontaneous urban settlements. However, these approaches have failed to stop the extension process of these settlements, and about twelve million of the country’s urban population thus resides in these settlements today. Moreover, all the previous approaches have mainly disregarded the important idea of future development of these settlements and the combination of the planning, morphological, and administrative components, while the IA approach has successfully filled the gap. The informal armatures approach can prevent fundamental problems, particularly in terms of infrastructure, in future spontaneous urban settlements through mutual government-people management and consideration of residents’ financial capability and planning tools such as the interconnection of corridors around the city, provision of patches, and protection of valuable land. Moreover, this approach can contribute significantly as one of the most effective futuristic, collaborative approaches (top-down and bottom-up), as it provides widespread coverage of informal urban settlement in Iran.
Slum Settlements
Saeed Khani; Kayoumars Irandoost; Alireza Kammali
Abstract
Highlights
- With increasing urbanization and the importance of planning, demographic data and analysis are needed at the level of urban districts.
- The paper compares the demographic indicators and characteristics of informal settlements and other settlements in Sanandaj.
- Along with demographic ...
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Highlights
- With increasing urbanization and the importance of planning, demographic data and analysis are needed at the level of urban districts.
- The paper compares the demographic indicators and characteristics of informal settlements and other settlements in Sanandaj.
- Along with demographic heterogeneity, a significant portion of the changes, including population growth and immigration, take place in informal settlements.
- In urban management with the aim of upgrading and regeneration of informal settlements, it is necessary to pay attention to demographic characteristics.
Introduction
Informal settlements are a fundamental challenge in modern urbanization. Various approaches and plans have been adopted to address this challenge, but many of them have not been associated with success for various reasons, including a lack of understanding of the characteristics of these settlements, especially the demographic dimensions. Studies have demonstrated that housing and habitation in informal settlements is far more frequent in Sanandaj than the national average, and covers more than half of the city’s population. The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic characteristics and indices in informal settlements and compare them to those in other settlements in Sanandaj. The achievements are highly significant mainly because they provide an overview of the active demographic structure and processes in formal and informal settlements. Moreover, many theories that indicate the formation of informal settlements highlight the importance of social, economic, and demographic factors in this regard.
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework of this research was based on theories that focus on urban growth and diversity in developing countries. Furthermore, these theories address the typology of urban settlements due to this diversity.
According to the demographic transition framework, rural-urban migration is the initial source of urban growth at the early stages of transition, but natural population growth itself is the fundamental source of urban growth as the transition and urbanization processes continue, and the urban sector grows increasingly larger (Keyfitz, 1980: 149). In the middle and end of the demographic transition, where the rates of death and birth are both low and more or less equal in urban and rural areas, rural-urban migration turns into another factor affecting the growth of urban population.
Undergoing a state of demographic transition and post-transition, the city of Sanandaj, Iran has witnessed both natural growth and rural migration, and has therefore experienced high rates of urbanization. This increasing urbanization has led to the formation of various structures and patterns of urban settlement, including informal dimensions, and represents different trends, types, and patterns in demographic terms.
Methodology
The present research is a quantitative descriptive study with an exploratory nature although it analyzed the current conditions. It was conducted to compare population characteristics and indices in formal and informal settlements in Sanandaj with a secondary analysis of raw data from the population and housing censuses in 2006, 2011, and 2016 in Sanandaj. After the data were processed and prepared, the districts were classified into settlement types based on previous research, and the population characteristics and indices in urban settlements were then compared and analyzed.
Results and Discussion
According to the results, the most dramatic demographic changes in Sanandaj, including those in size, population growth rate, and migration, had occurred in informal settlements. In addition, they are considered as the poles of attraction of the population along with the new settlement areas. There is instability and imbalance among the settlements in terms of the static characteristics of the population, including household density, residential unit quality, academic conditions, dependency burden, and employment status This indicates that informal settlements with larger households, smaller residential units, larger populations per room, and higher ratios of flimsy housing units are excluded from the proper cycle of economic and social urban life. These problems can all lead to occurrence of further urban challenges.
Conclusion
The present study revealed the existence of heterogeneous characteristics and demographic indices in the settlements of Sanandaj. Although the same pattern in terms of population processes cannot be considered for different districts, some settlements are characterized by both higher population growth and poorer housing, occupation, employment, and education. This makes them not only more vulnerable but also potential causes of urban issues and the Achilles’ heel of urban management.
The policy solution proposed in this article is that it is necessary and fundamental to pay attention to the demographic characteristics and indices of informal settlements in the provision and advancement of a comprehensive approach to planning and management in order to upgrade and regenerate these settlements. The results of this paper provide important lessons for planners and policy-makers on population redistribution policies and urban management, and indicate the different dimensions and characteristics of population in districts and settlements of Sanandaj.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank the Deputy of Statistics and Information of the Management and Planning Organization of Kurdistan Province for their provision of the available information concerning the general population and housing censuses of the districts of Sanandaj.
Slum Settlements
Maryam Soleimani; minoo gharehbaglou
Abstract
Highlights
The residence of informal settlements in the northern part of Tabriz is affected by the legitimate structures and signification of the region.
In their social life, marginalized residents do not pay much attention to the rules set by the upstream planners.
Marginalized residents reproduce ...
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Highlights
The residence of informal settlements in the northern part of Tabriz is affected by the legitimate structures and signification of the region.
In their social life, marginalized residents do not pay much attention to the rules set by the upstream planners.
Marginalized residents reproduce the structures of domination in line with their legitimate and implicit structures so that their residence is in line with local values and implications.
Introduction
A particular factor effective in the spontaneous settlements in suburban areas is the behavioral patterns in the residents’ lives and relevant daily activities that could affect the shape of housing. Consideration of the life structure and its effect on the formation of the architecture are topics that have been addressed by various thinkers in fields such as culture and environmental psychology. It is essential to attend to the set of values and meanings of human behavior, viewed as local culture, and the realization of traditions. This process provides a criterion in the construction of spontaneous settlements in marginalized areas. This study investigated and identified the physical patterns of spontaneous settlements and their construction strategies with respect to the lifestyles adopted by the inhabitants of the suburban areas in the northern parts of the city of Tabriz, Iran. In these areas, the residents seem to form the features of the residences according to their local culture rather than the regulations and urban plans.
Theoretical Framework
Many policies proposed to improve the conditions of informal settlements have ignored the structure of life, which has led them to neglect residents’ lifestyles and attempt to impose renovation plans with top-down approaches. Despite the abundance of research, there are more fundamental questions about the residents’ hidden layers faced during their lives. Most of the reviews of research on marginal housing have disregarded the residents’ life structure. This study investigates how the physical patterns of spontaneous settlements take shape with respect to the inhabitants’ lifestyle in suburban areas of the northern parts of Tabriz. Some of the most sophisticated studies conducted in the field include the research by Abrams (1964) and Turner (1967), focused on the participation of residents and their autonomy in the process of improvement and empowerment besides critical views of the destruction and displacement of the suburbs. To proceed with these studies, various conferences and meetings were held between 1996 and 1999 to discuss the empowerment of the poor in the suburbs in order to increase the efficiency of urban development. In addition, different dimensions of informal settlement were addressed in the adopted approaches, in which issues such as economic development, culture, social capital, and security were examined (Hashas 2005, Paul 2017, Petter et al. 2007, Tsenkova 2009, Fernandes 2001, Pugh 2000). Along with the expansion of studies on the culture of marginalization and validation of the structures of local communities, field research needed to be conducted, exemplified by Young and Wilmot (1957), Ganz (1962), and Suttles (1974). Focused on the distinction of the culture of marginalization from the urban culture, these studies have demonstrated that marginalized people define a lifestyle framework with self-assessment criteria, and always strive for social cohesion and protection of internal security.
Methodology
The approach adopted in this research is a qualitative one developed by grounded theory. For selection of the sample, the purposeful sampling method was used with the greatest variety, and semi-structured interviews, observations, and planned samplings were utilized for data collection. In the research sample, forty residents of the examined areas participated, and thirty sample houses were studied.
Results and Discussion
The results demonstrate that the organization of spaces and the physical pattern of spontaneous settlements have been more dependent on legitimate and semantic structures than on signification or domination. In this process, the characteristics of residents’ lives and the physical shape system of the environment in regard to these structures have affected the environmental components, such as neighborhood presence, physical flexibility and adaptability, physical scalability, integration of living space and work, outdoor viability, and widespread housing.
Conclusion
The analysis of the findings demonstrates that the sense of dwelling is more dependent in informal settlements on autonomous patterns to maintain significant legitimate structures than on practical ones (pertaining to extrinsic biological aspects), and the residents always try to protect their existential security as social agents. They can validate structures that respond to all kinds of real perception (concerning intrinsic value aspects). These categories are essential items that should be taken into account in the design and improvement of suburban areas to align the body with the residents’ lifestyle. This factor can indirectly lead to a sense of belonging and sustainable settlement in these areas. Therefore, the planners must improve the physical-biological aspect as a priority to promote these areas according to the local value structures, so that the residents can improve their residential structures under legitimate and significant structures in their social lives in a self-organizing process, in which reference is made to consideration of changeable, adaptable, and flexible housing.
Acknowledgement
This paper has been extracted from the corresponding author’s PhD dissertation on Islamic Architecture, which is in progress under the supervision of the second author at Tabriz Islamic Art University, Iran and with the spiritual and financial support of Iran National Science Foundation (INSF).
Slum Settlements
Alireza Nazarnia; Leila Zare; Fariborz Dolatabadi
Abstract
Highlights The informal settlement, as a result of rapid urbanization, is created in or outside of formal and illegal skirts of cities. This research insists on the strategy of incremental housing as a process in the physical improvement of Chabahar informal settlements. In the final pattern for residents, ...
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Highlights The informal settlement, as a result of rapid urbanization, is created in or outside of formal and illegal skirts of cities. This research insists on the strategy of incremental housing as a process in the physical improvement of Chabahar informal settlements. In the final pattern for residents, besides enhancement in physical aspects, maintaining spatial units among residents is highlighted. compatibility of replaced plans with the culture of living in the community is a key aspect in any upgrading physical pattern. From one step to the end, the residents themselves decide how to subdivide, aggregate, or complete the inner spaces. 1. Introduction Informal settlement, as a result of rapid urbanization, takes place inside or outside the formal, legal limits of cities. These areas are mainly settlements of rural immigrants or poor urban dwellers. Inefficiency in the housing supply system and instability of the economic aspect of housing in the urban market are the main causes of the emergence of informal settlements. This research is focused on the strategy of incremental housing as a process effective in the physical improvement of informal settlements in the city of Chabahar, Iran. Moreover, it seeks to promote the quality of life in informal settlements and, consequently, integrate them into the official areas of the city. In the final model for the residents, maintenance of the spatial structures is highlighted besides enhancement of the physical aspects. This means that the alternative plans are compatible with the residents’ culture. The residents’ economic restrictions are considered besides all these features. The results demonstrate that a decent model can be achieved using incremental housing and its varieties: subdivision, aggregation, and expansion. This model assumes a more cooperative attitude than in the top-down type of development. The incremental approach is based on individuals’ participation in the processes of making their own houses given their types of social network and cultural habits. The research method involves the researcher’s active attendance of the study area and observation of the inhabitants’ experiences. After all, the designer has no more than a facilitating role in this strategy. From a certain step on, the residents themselves decide how to subdivide, aggregate, or complete the inner spaces. Thus, a sympathetic method of creation occurs within the target community. 2. Theoretical Framework In Nazrie et al. (2016), the consent rate of residents of informal settlements in the Afshar district, Kabul, Afghanistan to the promotion strategy was challenged through interviews with them. The findings highlighted that it was insufficient to consider only the physical aspects of upgrading settlements, and that the economic and social perspectives were as important as the physical features. In a study on the strategy of upgrading informal settlements in Egypt, Khalifa (2015) discussed the negligence of the residents of these areas. As long as the existing settlements are a kind of compensation for the lack of formal settlements, they must be assumed to have a positive aspect as well. These constructive features can contribute to any upgrading alternative model. 3. Methodology The methodology of this research involves deep interviews with residents of Chabahar informal settlements and active in-field participation of the researchers. The natural lifestyle of the inhabitants is observed, and the culture dominant among the target community is interacted with more deeply. The data collection methods involve a physical study and assessment of units where the informal dwellers live. 4. Results and Discussion In Chabahar, the Balochi word kampan is used to refer to a residential unit with a unique role and distinct social, economic, and spatial features. Socially, the families inside each kampan can interact with each other. The members of these families have an ethnic relation with each other. Economically, a kampan is a place where the inside dwellers play the role of self-employers. Spatially, there is a courtyard inside each kampan where means of both livelihood and life are provided. The results indicate that a kampan has an organizing characteristic as a spatial module within the fabric of Chabahar informal settlements. Thus, a kampan can maintain its functions in any new pattern devised for promotion of the informal settlements. For application of the economic aspect to the pattern, the outside structure of the design is established, and the inside of the units is then completed by the residents in a post-occupancy process. 5. Conclusion The main strategy adopted to confront informal settlements, incremental housing can be regarded as a productive, participatory process. In this strategy, the architect has a facilitating role, designing and preparing the outside and intermediate spaces. Then, the residents themselves complete the inside of the residential units. There are a number of rules governing the completion process. Firstly, development is restricted inside the courtyard, because of the importance of this space. Secondly, the residents can add up to one story to the existing buildings. Overall, the residents have an approach in parallel with the architects’ toward a proper solution to the problem of upgrading informal settlements. From a certain step on, the residents themselves decide how to subdivide, aggregate, or complete the inner spaces. Thus, a sympathetic method of creation emerges within the target community.
Slum Settlements
Saeid Alitajer; Pooria Saadativaghar; Mohammad Bashir Robati; Ahmad Heydari
Abstract
In recent years, for reasons such as population growth, increased rural migration, and the migrants’ financial inability to afford housing, the host cities are facing the problem of illegal settlements that are built densely without observing the principles of construction. These are usually known ...
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In recent years, for reasons such as population growth, increased rural migration, and the migrants’ financial inability to afford housing, the host cities are facing the problem of illegal settlements that are built densely without observing the principles of construction. These are usually known as informal settlements which face many problems. One of the problems is the lack of social spaces that could act as the pillar of urban life. The issue of socialization and social interactions has been neglected in marginal and informal urban contexts, but it is more important that than in other contexts. It is because these contexts are in fact one of the most prominent manifestations of urban poverty in most Iranian cities with migration inflow. The promotion of socialization in these informal settlements, which are a part of the city’s body, is one of the main goals for increasing public welfare and citizens’ peace through the provision of their social needs. In recent years, hybrid studies have considered the relationship between cognitive maps and spatial configuration in assessing the shape of the constructed environment, but few studies have focused on adapting the findings of space layout approach by comparing cognitive maps when studying and measuring social behaviors of citizens in one of the most problematic urban contexts, i.e. informal settlements. This is an innovation in this research, an applied area and a step forward in the field of urban psychology, which can help urban planners and decision makers to identify and improve the morphology of more sociable urban neighborhoods. The present study seeks to investigate the effect of the physical-spatial characteristics of these settlements on sociability by examining the neighborhoods of Hesar and Dizaj in Hamedan. In the first step, the related literature and theoretical concepts were reviewed by library research and consulting with valuable sources on spatial configuration, socialization, and informal settlements. In the second step, the maps of the two neighborhoods were simulated in the Space Syntax software and analyzed formally and morphologically as follows. In the analysis of research data, in line with the natural motion theory, the role of spatial configuration was examined in the formation of behavioral and social patterns (in particular, socialization behavior). In fact, this applied study is based on a mixed methodology. In the first step, quantitative techniques were used along with the theory of natural motion, the theory of space syntax, as well as Arc GIS and UCL Depth Map software packages to analyze spatial configuration and its role in the social behavior of citizens with the aim of specifying the physical-spatial factors which influence sociability in urban spaces. The next step aimed at determining the validity and reliability of the results. In this step, the quantitative results were reconsidered by means of the qualitative method of cognitive maps. According to the findings, spatial configuration may affect the sociability of informal settlements through five indicators, namely, control, connectivity, integration, depth, and legibility. It may also affect people’s attendance, motion, face-to-face contact, and conversations (which are the major prerequisites of the formation of social interactions). Our analysis of the abovementioned informal settlements shows that the maps of the quantitative method of space syntax almost overlap with the qualitative cognitive maps. A comparison between the two neighborhoods indicates that the tree-like and continuous space configuration of Dizaj creates a motion pattern that leads to social interactions in the middle parts of the neighborhood whereas the shrub-like configuration in Hesar distributes the patterns of motion and social behavior all over the neighborhood and leads to more desirable social effects.
Slum Settlements
Kioumars Habibi; arman rahimi
Abstract
One area of unsustainable urban development, especially in developing countries living with acute problems, is the so-called informal settlements which requires adopting special measures to regulate their current situation and prevent their spread in the future. With the introduction of sustainable urban ...
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One area of unsustainable urban development, especially in developing countries living with acute problems, is the so-called informal settlements which requires adopting special measures to regulate their current situation and prevent their spread in the future. With the introduction of sustainable urban development in the 1980s and attention to all aspects of the city (including environmental, economic and social aspects) as a basis for sustainable urban development, the problem of informal settlements entered a new phase of studies that is most relevant to the assessment of the level of stability in such settlements. The emergence of new practical methods and practices of sustainable development thinking in terms of environmental impact assessment occurred in the 1990s. The ecological footprint analysis is one of the indices that has attracted the attention of academics, politicians and educationalists. Ecological footprint is an indicator that assesses the energy and materials used in a city, region or country, and evaluates the burden on ecosystems induced by the population and industrial processes. In recent decades, Sanandaj, as the main city of Kurdistan province, has witnessed a massive wave of migration from the countryside into the city, leading to the formation of many informal settlements such as Abbas Abad, Naysr, etc. This research tries to evaluate the level of sustainability in Abbas Abad neighborhood using ecological footprint. The present study is an applied research with a descriptive-analytical method. The statistical population includes all the households living in Abbas Abad neighborhood. Given the fact that 4741 households live in Abbas Abad neighborhood, the sample size was estimated using the Cochran formula to be about 355 households. On this basis, 355 questionnaires were randomly distributed among households living in the Abbas Abad neighborhood. The questionnaires collected the information on the annual consumption of food and waste generation as expressed by the respondents. In order to assess the level of stability in Abbas Abad, the ecological footprint of the neighborhood was measured as one of the unofficial neighborhoods of Sanandaj. Eventually, one year’s water, electricity and gas consumption was calculated. It is worth noting that information on food intake, transport and waste production was been obtained through the distributed questionnaires. The results show that the total ecological footprint of Abbas Abad neighborhood is 74560.551 hectares. The calculations show that the ecological footprint of the Abbas Abad neighborhood in 2011 was 74560.551 hectares worldwide, which represents an area of 3.808 hectares per capita for each neighborhood resident. This means that although the area of Abbas Abad neighborhood is 46 hectare, the land consumption of 19578 people living in the neighborhood is 1,621 times more than the area of the neighborhood, and given the 4065 hectares area of Sanandaj in 2011, it is about 18 times more than the area Sanandaj. The highest ecological footprint in the Abbas Abad neighborhood relates to the construction sector (38162 hectares). After construction, food (25819.06 hectares) and gas (5498 hectares) have the highest share in the Abbas Abad neighborhood.
Slum Settlements
akbar mohammadi; Kasra Ashouri; mohammad bashir robati
Volume 6, Issue 22 , May 2017, , Pages 75-88
Abstract
Nowadays, due to different reasons such as low financial affordability, high cost of standard housing, lack of affordable land in cities (especially for a particular population), lack of scientific criteria in finding location (for housing) or in urban development, and as urban development processes ...
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Nowadays, due to different reasons such as low financial affordability, high cost of standard housing, lack of affordable land in cities (especially for a particular population), lack of scientific criteria in finding location (for housing) or in urban development, and as urban development processes surpass rational urban planning and managemen, most cities and urban habitats are located in sites which are exposed to a variety of human-made threats because of natural hazards or technological progresses. In this regard, in the case of a crisis, efforts to achieve circumstances which provide the possibility to restore the conditions before crisis or increasing the flexibility of those cities and habitats are of high importance. Resilience is a new approach proposed as a novel perspective to deal with rapid changes and increasing needs and complications of cities. In most cases, this approach is used to face the unknowns or uncertainties. Resilience is also emphasized over vulnerability. The concept of resilience has evolved over time; in the recent decade, it has peculiarly been the center of attention in scientific and political debates. The present applied research tries to recognize and evaluate the effective factors on social and institutional resilience in Naisar detached urban district of Sanandaj. It also attempts to optimally adapt those factors by using descriptive, analytic and comparative methods. Naisar district is located at the northeast of Sanandaj. It is 309.5 hectares making it the largest spontaneous settlement of the city. At the beginning, this area was in the form of a village in Sanandaj suburbs, but, due to lack of residential land in the city (Sanandaj has many hills unsuitable for residential construction), the village turned into a satellite area for the overflowing population of the city in the 90s. In the census of villages in 1996, the population of Naisar was announced to be 938. The interesting point is the rapid increase in Naisar population over the past 15 years. The population of Naisar was 12480 in 2006. In 2011, it increased by 29.5% and reached 27377. Like many such settlements, Naisar has a very low resilience in the face of incidents. The purpose of this research is to investigate the social and institutional resilience criteria in this settlement. To this end, the indices and influential factors on social and institutional resilience in these settlements were first identified and defined operationally through library research. Then, the resilience level of the spontaneous settlement of Naisar was determined through AIR, RIF and CIR formulas. The results of the research indicated low levels of resilience in this settlement. Based on the findings, it seems that more factors are effective on the evaluation of the resilience level of the spontaneous settlement of Naisar due to its unfavorable conditions. The results also indicate that, in Naisar detached urban district, as one of the particular settlements of Sanandaj which has been recognized as an informal settlement, social resilience has a more favorable situation than institutional resilience.
Slum Settlements
bahman ahmadi
Volume 5, Issue 20 , November 2016, , Pages 29-42
Abstract
Tenure security is a fundamental right of households lack of which leads to economic, social, psychological and political problems; thus, tenure insecurity has become a deprivation index in informal settlements. In recent years, special attention has been given to tenure security in improving informal ...
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Tenure security is a fundamental right of households lack of which leads to economic, social, psychological and political problems; thus, tenure insecurity has become a deprivation index in informal settlements. In recent years, special attention has been given to tenure security in improving informal settlements and thus was the research subject carried out by UN-HABITAT in 2003 and 2006. Scientific and practical experiences in tenure security index show that tenure security is a sense that cannot be achieved only by formal means such as ownership of a title deed. Tenure security is much more than simply examining legal title deeds and involves social, economic and life-quality indexes nowadays. Indeed, de facto and supra legal and perceived indexes along with legal ones, hold sway on tenure security scale in informal settlements. Moreover, sustainable development of informal settlements became one of the main topics of a seminar held by the Habitat in 2004 with particular emphasis on sustainable social development in order to empower residents and promote tenure security in informal settlements. At present, the application of mediating tools has become prevalent in the enhancement of tenure security instead of through legal procedures.. Based on the question of whether it is possible to consider social sustainability as a mediator tool, the purpose of this research is examining and evaluating the impacts of social sustainable development on tenure security in Koshtargah neighborhood in Urmia. Two main indexes have been used in this research to explain social sustainability: spatial justice (accessibility to urban services such as daily shopping centers, educational centers, sports centers, cultural centers, recreational centers, administrative services and remedial centers) and social cohesion (duration of residence, amount of power and solidarity of local organizations, the cohesion of family and friends and willingness of residents to work together in order to improve neighborhood). For Examining perceived tenure security in Koshtargah neighborhood, five criteria (concerns about informality of neighborhood, concerns about municipality dissatisfaction of residences in the neighborhood, concerns about homelessness after evacuation, possibility of forced eviction at any moment and concerns about forced eviction in next 5 years) are utilized. Research method was descriptive – analytical, and field data collection was carried out by means of questionnaire surveys. To analyse the data, ArcGIS techniques, fuzzy analysis and statistical methods such as Pearson correlation coefficient and regression were used. According to the correlation analysis it could be concluded that the impact of social cohesion on the sense of tenure security in Koshtargah neighborhood has been positive and significant; this relation was confirmed by significant degree of 0.000, confidence degree of 99% and correlation coefficient of 0.873. Furthermore, it could be concluded that spatial justice has had a positive and significant impact on the sense of tenure security in Koshtargah neighborhood; this relation was confirmed by a significant degree of 0.000, confidence degree of 99% and a correlation coefficient of 0.792. The results illustrate that by increasing social cohesion and providing justice in urban services accessibility, the perceived tenure security of Koshtargah neighborhood became stronger; thus it can be predicted that moving toward social sustainability promotes the sense of land and housing tenure security of Koshtargah inhabitants.
Slum Settlements
Volume 5, Issue 20 , November 2016, , Pages 53-64
Abstract
Urban slums have always been a challenge for urban managers in our country. In recent years, some problems such as rapid and continuous changes and emergence of new issues has led to planning and policy in this area to be solved with short-term and temporary measures. Transformation and change ...
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Urban slums have always been a challenge for urban managers in our country. In recent years, some problems such as rapid and continuous changes and emergence of new issues has led to planning and policy in this area to be solved with short-term and temporary measures. Transformation and change is a normal phenomenon in society and is a continuous and long process. Changes in all fields, past, present and future will be extended. What is needed is the revision of approaches to the management and use of new tools in planning. Foresight as a new approach is in fact the wise and prudent response to the challenges arising from changes and is a process that will lead to sustainable planning . I this study, the foresight approach is used to identify the drivers or effective factors that impact the future status of urban slums in Sanandaj and their effects on each other . In addition, the foresight approach is used to provide strategies, plans and policies to achieve the desired scenarios. The research methodology was based on new methods of foresight study and to gather the data library method and environmental scanning was used. Cross-impact / structural analysis was used to analyze the data using MICMAC software application. The results show that in the first stage, using environmental scanning, 54 factors in 6 areas were identified to affectthe future status of urban slums of the city. Based on the number of factors, the matrix size was 54 × 54 which was set in 6 different areas. The considered number of repetitions was 2 times and the matrix fill degree was 47/70 percent, indicating an average coefficient which seems to be normalbecause of the scattering of the variables affecting the future status of urban slums in Sanandaj. Amongst a total of 1391 relationships in evaluation of this matrix, 1525 had zero relationshipss, 1276 had one relationship, 102 had two relationships, and 13 had three relationships. . On the other hand, the matrix achieved 100% desirability and efficiency based on the statistical indicators with 2 times data rotation, indicating the validity of the questionnaire and its responses. In regards the scattered distribution of variables one can understand that it is due to system instability which shows that most variables are scattered around the diagonal axis and also apart from a few limiting factors that demonstrate a high effectiveness in the system other variables of conditions are similar to each other. Therefore, the five categories of factors (Effective factor, Two-sided factor, Regulation factor, Effectiveness factor, Independent factor) are identifiable. Finally, of the 54 factors mentioned after checking the amount and the degree of effectiveness the of factors in connection to each other and on the future status of settlements with direct and indirect methods, of the following 12 key factors were selected as having the greatest role in the future status of urban slums in Sanandaj: management style, development of the national economy, immigration, neighborhood-oriented approach, affordable housing policies, quality of space and place, social capital, the price of land and housing, educational permeability, land management, and ownership (security of tenure).
Slum Settlements
Volume 6, Issue 21 , February 2016, , Pages 17-28
Abstract
Informal settlements or slum dwellings is a general concept referring to urban residents who live in extremely poor and unsuitable living and housing conditions. Various theories regarding these kinds of settlements and how to deal with them in Iran have been proposed but none have been instrumental ...
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Informal settlements or slum dwellings is a general concept referring to urban residents who live in extremely poor and unsuitable living and housing conditions. Various theories regarding these kinds of settlements and how to deal with them in Iran have been proposed but none have been instrumental in seeking to deal with this phenomenon at root level and to allow integration with the rest of the city. The organization and empowerment of informal settlers is the most effective solution and best global practice in dealing with this problem. Organizations and governments through land acquisition ,improvement of living conditions of citizens, participation of legal residents in giving recreational facilities to these areas in order to formalize and legalize them primarily and secondly to exploit the degree of power and ability of residents to create a better living environment. The rapid growth of urbanization and physical expansion of cities has caused new areas and areas under development to house rural migrants and the city poor without any urban planning or council management in the suburbs of cities and this phenomenon is called suburbanization. The city of Zabol has faced irregular migration of villagers and tribes because of successive droughts and the resulting devastation of their agriculture and animal husbandry stocks in rural areas of Sistan. These migrants have selected the suburbs and main entrances to Zabol city for settling because of low income and not having sufficient literacy and job skills and have thus created the new suburbans of Zabol. The number of Zabol suburban areas has increased from 2 to 14 from 1971 to 1986. At present, many problems have been created for urban management with the linkages of these areas to villages around Zabol city In this article, scores of main indices for rehabilitation of suburbanites such as scio- economic characteristics of the head of the households,housing conditions , the main problems existing in the suburban areas and suburbanite participation in improvement of their areas was first calculated. Rapid urbanization growth of Iran with rural to urban migration has caused wide suburbanization. The first destination of rural migrants and border towns are larger cities in the region. Zabol city as a major city in Sistan has faced the growth of suburbanization particularly in surrounding roads and nearby villages in recent years. The purpose of this study was to examine the sociological factors of suburbanization and approaches for empowerment and a descriptive and analytical research method was used. Questionnaires were distributed in 14 suburban districts of Zabol and randomly among 316 suburbanites. The data was analyzed by Spss and Excel software. The results show that the main causes of suburbanization is massive migration from rural and small urban districts Zabol (92/09 percent) due to low income (21/52 percent), drought (19/30 percent) and unemployment. From the point of view of urban experts, trustees and residents of such communities to create empowerment, generating jobs through lending (42/85 percent) is the most important priority.
Slum Settlements
H. Gh.; A. J.; M. J.; D. J.
Volume 2, Issue 6 , June 2013, , Pages 43-58
Slum Settlements
Volume 1, Issue 4 , March 2012, , Pages 3-12
Abstract
This paper is a practical attempt to choose social changing methods instead of environmental regenerations in order to manage and upgrade informal settlements areas. The approach of this research is in this way that inhabitants of informal settlements are accepted as residents with an urban right and ...
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This paper is a practical attempt to choose social changing methods instead of environmental regenerations in order to manage and upgrade informal settlements areas. The approach of this research is in this way that inhabitants of informal settlements are accepted as residents with an urban right and they are the best resources for changing and upgrading of these areas. The objectives of this research work were to introduce social capacity and its relationship with local sustainable development in two different groups. Inhabitants and economical activists were selected as the study groups. Verifying the results based on the groups is the method to find out the way for achieving local sustainability. It was a descriptive surveying. Structure of social capacity and sustainable development were generated by expert ideas for informal settlement. The study approved that the social capacity is a mental structure influenced by the main motivations of the neighborhood’s activists to reside in the neighborhood. However, each group had different qualifications in this relationship and it is clear that each group uses its social capacities to achieve its own goals. Therefore, each group would have its special effects on sustainability and future of neighborhood life. The results revealed the existence of a positive and meaningful relationship between social capacities and the neighborhood sustainable development and if the clever exploration occurs, the chance of achieving local sustainability is not unexpected. The confidence of resident’s group in official institutions, and the importance placed to the neighborhood by the economical activists are the prime components, which had meaningful correlation with the majority of social capacity components. In addition, each program capable to persuade inhabitants to live longer and motivate people for remaining in that local area will be effective for developing social capacity. Moreover, it was found that there was not any sustainability in social dimension; social capacity will be useful for achieving this goal.
