Aleksandra Milinković, Dijana Brkljač, Stefan Škorić
et al.
Considering the characteristics of urban planning that are becoming increasingly demanding, and the trend that urban zones should meet users’ needs based on the principle of everything in one place, this paper evaluates the potentials of urban zones in Novi Sad. An expert analysis defined 25 criteria related to urban, traffic, architectural, environmental and sociological aspects to assess the current potentials of urban zones in a sustainable manner. Based on these criteria, 10 urban zones were evaluated using a multi-structure fuzzy MCDM model, including: the Fuzzy FUCOM, IMF SWARA and Fuzzy OPARA methods, and the Fuzzy Heronian Mean and Fuzzy Bonferroni operators. Fuzzy FUCOM was applied to determine the importance of the main groups of criteria, while IMF SWARA was used to determine the importance of sub-criteria, with the final weights obtained using the Fuzzy Heronian Mean operator. The Fuzzy OPARA method was implemented to determine the rankings of urban zones based on the potentials they offer. This model represents an innovation, as it is being presented for the first time in the literature. The final values of the urban zones show that Liman and the Center are the two urban zones with the greatest potential, which was confirmed through extensive verification analysis. Such modeling can provide support in the sense that the management of the city can obtain information about the shortcomings and potentials of the location, which allows for the definition of a more specific planning and development policy, based on the previously verified state.
This research aims to analyze the da'wah model carried out among industrial communities. Sociologically, industrial society is characterized by various aspects of heterogeneity in life. As a transition from a phase of social life, industrial society is filled with individual characteristics of society and in multicultural, educational, economic, political, and religious groups. In subsequent developments, the transition to industrial society occurred due to the contribution of technological sophistication, especially information and communication technology. Specifically, research is directed at analyzing the development of cyberculture and its relationship to the transformation of preaching discourse in urban areas. The Pemuda Hijrah Community is the subject and object of the research being observed. The research was conducted from March to June 2024, using an interpretive paradigm, a qualitative approach, and case study methods. Data was collected using observation, documentation, and literature study techniques. The research results show that Hanan Attaki and the Pemuda Hijrah Community in Bandung City can be seen as a case of da'wah activities in industrial society. The characteristics and models of da'wah carried out by Hanan Attaki and Pemuda Hijrah can be a model for developing da'wah activities in urban areas. Therefore, this research found several essential aspects that can be used as a reference in observing the sociological process of da'wah activities in urban areas, which initially only involved young people but influenced various groups' development. The impact was not only in Bandung but also became a trendsetter for urban da'wah in multiple regions (villages or cities) in Indonesia.
Marwa Fawaz, Naglaa Ali Megahed, Basma N. El-Mowafy
et al.
Abstract One trend in building design is building envelopes with perforated patterns, which create a sculptural envelope using parametric and generative design tools to adapt to environmental conditions and user preferences. However, there are gaps in understanding the potential benefits of perforated building envelopes (PBEs) and their key design parameters used in contemporary projects. Therefore, this study aims to examine the classification of PBE design parameters and their commonly used parametric design tools that provide appropriate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) for buildings. The study is based on (1) a review of relevant studies, and (2) an analysis of case studies of contemporary projects. The results reveal relationships between key design variables of contemporary PBEs based on a conceptual framework developed in terms of (a) general building properties, (b) detailed envelope properties, and (c) environmental performance indicators. This study contributes to the field of architecture by providing a design strategy for creating PBEs based on a parametric approach and highlights the importance of considering IEQ in the early digital modelling process. By applying the five-stage strategy: creativity, configuration, generation, performance, and evaluation, it was found that PBEs can be a powerful tool to enhance energy efficiency by about 26.91% compared to glazed envelopes in Egypt, which may lead to improved IEQ. Future research could apply the proposed strategy to explore the impact of PBEs on various IEQ indicators.
Background: Female homicides represent a severe social and public health issue, driven by complex socio-cultural, economic, and relational factors. In Iraq, particularly in Erbil, there has been limited research addressing patterns, risk factors, and characteristics of female homicides, leaving gaps in understanding this critical issue. Objective: This study aims to analyze demographic, geographic, and forensic aspects of female homicides in Erbil City from 2018 to 2022 to identify high-risk groups, influential socio-cultural factors, and potential prevention strategies. Methodology: A retrospective analytical study was conducted, examining 1,063 female homicide cases documented in Erbil City over a five-year period. Data were obtained from forensic, hospital, and law enforcement records and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to explore victim demographics, geographic distribution, homicide methods, and relationships with perpetrators. Results: Findings show that young adult women aged 21-30 are the most vulnerable group, comprising 29% of cases. Geographically, Erbil’s central urban areas recorded the highest homicide rates, possibly due to population density, economic pressures, and social tensions. Burning (42.3%) and firearm use (28.7%) were the most common methods, indicating socio-cultural influences and accessibility to weapons. A majority of homicides (60%) occurred within private residences, with intimate partners and family members frequently implicated as perpetrators. Conclusion: The study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions, such as domestic violence prevention programs, firearm regulation, and culturally adapted public health policies. By identifying key risk factors and socio-cultural contributors, these findings support the development of evidence-based strategies to reduce female homicides in Erbil and comparable sociocultural settings.
The paper explores children's claim on spatial justice through play. It develops an interdisciplinary methodological approach grounded in critical thinking that draws on Children's Geographies, Urban Studies and the New Sociology of Childhood, with the aim to engage children as agents in shaping spatial justice. The central argument is that children's play is an everyday spatial practice that can act as a lensto address the complex issue of spatial justice by bringing the voices of a marginalized social group to the fore. Based on ethnographic research with children aged 7–12 in a central neighborhood of Athens, the paper elaborates on three key aspects of their play. First, through play, children produce their own places, thus claiming their visibility. Second, they re-invent the urban space and shape hybrid spaces of negotiation, highlighting the contingency of urban space. Third, they forge multiple connections with play communities, the self, the place, and adults, revealing a web of interconnected rights and responsibilities. The paper concludes that children's claim on spatial justice revives their right to the city, a complex political work that links spatial justice with the “here and now” of childhood.
The article carries out a historical and sociological analysis of Russian urban sociological researches of the pre-revolutionary period proposing approaches to improving the quality of citizens’ life. The interest in the issues of urban environment improvement discussed by sociologists today arose at the turn of the 19th — 20th centuries as a reaction to the social problems faced by big cities of that time, including Russian cities, due to the social inequality which worsened as a result of rapid and uncontrolled urbanization. It is emphasized that a significant contribution to the sociological study of the social contradictions of urban life and the search for possible ways to eliminate them is made by Russian social thinkers sharing the idea that urbanization should not be spontaneous, but a controlled social process in the late 19th — early 20th centuries.Sociological researches by Russian social scientists seeking solutions of the social problems peculiar to big cities, are grouped around two sociological conceptions - the garden city and municipal socialism. The article defines the theoretical origins of these conceptual constructions and carries out a comparative analysis of these conceptions, thanks to what the huge heuristic potential of scientific developments created within the framework of Russian urban sociology in the pre-revolutionary period is revealed.The author demonstrates that the social problems of big cities, as well as the principles of their solution, analyzed by Russian social scientists at the turn of the 19th — 20th centuries, are highlighted by modern sociologists examining urban life. The article concludes that Russian urban sociological studies conducted in the Russian Empire are a valuable heritage for contemporary Russian and Western sociology and are an important theoretical and methodological basis for sociological researches of city and urbanization in the 21st century.
Introduction The modern urban landscape is increasingly characterized by the paradox of social isolation in physical proximity. Research consistently reveals a troubling link between social alienation and mental health issues, including a heightened risk for psychosis among vulnerable groups. As cities expand and diversify, understanding and mitigating the detrimental effects of urban alienation becomes crucial. This presentation explores the complex relationship between urban living, social alienation, and mental health, emphasizing the need for psychiatrists to have a more holistic understanding of socio-urban phenomena. Objectives To assess the clinical impact of urban alienation on mental health based on multi-disciplinary literature. To particularly examine urban mental health concepts from outside psychiatry that may be relevant to clinical practice. To identify possible strategies for integrating these interdisciplinary insights into daily practice and public mental health policy. Methods We performed a multi-disciplinary literature review, analyzing studies from psychiatry, sociology urban studies, critical theory, and public health to evaluate the impact of social alienation on mental health. Special attention was paid to identifying both gaps and overlaps between disciplines. Results We grouped findings into three major disciplinary areas: psychiatry, sociology, and urbanist theory. While each of these fields has unique histories and contributions, the literature lacks consistent integration among them. For clinicians in particular, there is significant conceptual language that has not yet entered the psychiatric lexicon. Across fields, it is noted that city-dwellers face alienation due to resource limitations, systemic issues, ideological pressures, and cultural barriers. Proposed solutions vary significantly based on discipline, including community-building activities, mental health support services, and inclusive urban planning. Conclusions There is a breadth of research on cities, alienation, and mental health, and yet little integration of the disciplines. Addressing social alienation in urban environments requires psychiatric thought to move beyond isolated clinical interventions and toward collaborations with community organizations, policymakers, and urban planners. By aligning mental health expertise with the broader social and physical context, psychiatry can contribute to more meaningful, holistic interventions. Consequently, there is a pressing need for academic research bridging these fields, enabling more effective solutions that enhance community well-being in urban settings. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
This paper presents a case study of Dharavi, an urban poor settlement in Mumbai, often called Asia’s largest slum. It seeks to understand the ownership of urban property through an empirical—anthropological and sociological—study asking how various socially disadvantaged groups “do” property on the ground and try to thicken their claims on tenements and land. Advancing the analytics of legal pluralism, the paper shows how different legal registers of property interact in property conflicts over urban renewal and exposes their hybrid character. Refining the formal/informal binarity, the article shows how legal dimensions are woven into the livelihood strategies of urban poor and are reshaped in their everyday struggles for recognition as legitimate urban citizens who try to strengthen their right to the city.
Character education is a pivotal element in fostering moral and ethical values among students. This study explores the synergistic impact of parental and community involvement in character education within schools. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations, and document analysis across three schools in diverse socio-economic settings. The findings reveal that parental involvement, such as reinforcing values at home and participating in school activities, significantly enhances students' moral development. Likewise, community engagement through mentorship, resources, and local partnerships provides a supportive environment for instilling positive character traits. However, challenges such as conflicting values, limited time, and communication gaps were identified as barriers to effective collaboration. This research underscores the importance of an integrated approach, aligning efforts between parents, community members, and educators to optimize character education outcomes. The study highlights practical strategies and theoretical contributions, advocating for enhanced communication and joint initiatives to nurture students' character development.
Education, City population. Including children in cities, immigration
Objectives. The identity of the place has an effect on citizens’ identities. The study presented aims to support the connection between slow violence, environmental injustice, and the use of visual sociology to deepen the experiences and relations of people in the surrounding environment. The target is a neighborhood called Tamburi in the city of Taranto, Apulia. Methods. After an initial focus group useful to know more about the context, 8 people residing in the target area took photos to understand how the environmental damage has slowly settled on every aspect of life in the neighborhood and to explore concepts like social memories, and socio-semiotic category. The contribution of a non-residing photojournalist was analyzed, in order to improve and complete observation techniques. Results. Tamburi, literally incorporated by the industry, is a place with a complex identity to the detriment of social life and the new generations’ well-being, accompanied by a correlated social and cultural unease as well as a feeling of abandonment and vindication. It is identified as a sacrifice area due to the high rate of pollutants in circulation, premature deaths, and contamination of the urban and vegetable elements present. Conclusions. Living in territories vulnerable to sacrifice translates into considering the existences therein underestimated. The visual method offers interesting insights into the possibilities of interpreting some phenomena. The images of the neighborhood are a negative stimulus that communicates feelings of fragility in the individual and collective memory and has an impact on the livability and attractiveness of places. Keywords: visual sociology; environmental violence; narrative images; generational injustice; place identity.
This is a case study on migration management in the United States of America, according to the New Political Economy approach. Attention is paid to how Latin American immigrants are treated, given the change in public policies and their economic perception. There has been a shift from open-door immigration policies to raids and massive deportations, violating the founding principles of the United States and the key to its growth and development, since immigrants are not only a greater productive factor of work, but also bring knowledge, technologies and institutions that improve the competitiveness. Faced with this change in public powers, civil society has reacted, with a revitalization of the Sanctuary Movement. This study uses an explanatory methodology on the evolution of the academic disciplines and approaches dedicated to the research on religion-economics-migration relations, to focus its attention on the case study of the Sanctuary Movement.
Latin America. Spanish America, Regional economics. Space in economics
Zimbabwe desperately requires financial assistance to fix existing infrastructure and build new urban water systems. This analysis suggests that PPPs may give Zimbabwe the best opportunity to overcome its problems with water infrastructure. Zimbabwe still has trouble supplying water to its cities because of a shortage of resources and deteriorating infrastructure. This situation was already confirmed by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (see 2019 reports), and PPPs could mitigate the financial challenges to assist the Zimbabwean Government. The study utilised qualitative research to gather information. Interview responses were supplemented with a literature review to thematically state responses. The results demonstrate that political backing, government accountability, economic viability, and suitable statutory, financial, technological, and institutional frameworks are the key prerequisites for implementing PPPs effectively in Zimbabwe. The study proposes that PPPs are perceived as an alternative reform strategy for improved urban water infrastructure in the country. However, PPPs must consider the implementation imperatives before being adopted and implemented. This requires an environment conducive to operating PPPs, including proper planning and meticulous implementation. If entered hurriedly, PPPs can exacerbate the problems they were implemented to rectify, thereby saving the taxpayers' hard-earned money.
Abstract This article examines the processes of Language and Speaker Making in the revitalization context of the Basque Country. The focus is on a group of new Basque speakers who, as active agents, engage in grassroots Language Making by literally making their own variety of colloquial Basque for their intragroup use. Due to a tradition of speaking the minority language in tight-knit communities, the Basque community places a high value on local solidarity. The Basque standard Batua and new speakers of Basque are not considered as authentic as the traditional speakers and their local vernaculars. The new Basque speakers described in the article are language activists who, conscious of the perceived formality of Batua, construct their group register mixing and matching resources from Spanish, Basque dialects and the Basque standard. They flaunt their verbal dexterity in performative language play, yet at the same time pay respect to the Basque tradition of local linguistic practice. In this process, they combine old and new values of being euskaldun, and claim their identity as new and urban, yet full speakers of Basque.
Fernanda Machado Dill, Maíra Longhinotti Felippe, Angela Favaretto
et al.
A pandemia de COVID-19 impôs à população novas condições de vida, isolamento social, medidas de higiene entre outras. Assim, questiona-se que novos olhares e direcionamentos nossas cidades e projetos terão no futuro. Desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa para análise da percepção dos usuários no Brasil quanto às suas rotinas e expectativas durante o período de enclausuramento entre maio e junho de 2020. A pesquisa consistiu na elaboração de um questionário online e as 1858 respostas coletadas trouxeram reflexões sobre as mudanças que ocorreram durante este período, sobre a satisfação das pessoas com suas próprias residências, com suas cidades e seus bairros.
Architecture, Urban groups. The city. Urban sociology
This special issue of the Journal of Urban Affairs, Refugees and the City, addresses challenges and opportunities created by the arrival of large numbers of refugees into cities. The current refugees are part of the largest global displacement since World War II, with over 80 million people worldwide fleeing war, persecution, conflict, and human rights violations. As refugees settle into the cities with other migrants, they are often the major driver of population growth. They are met with mixed responses depending on the host society’s social, economic and political conditions, and resources. Successful inclusion of refugees into host societies requires the cooperation of local, state, and national governments and involvement of nongovernmental organizations and civil society. It includes creating more stable legal and political environments and funding structures that offer a clear path to legalizing refugees’ permanent status and providing them with access to housing, health, and social services. Articles included in this volume cover issues of governance, service provision, and inclusion of refugees in a broad range of urban places, such as Greece, Norway, the Balkans, Germany, the United States, Bhutan, and Lebanon. The authors of the articles provide empirical evidence and critical examination of the actions of different actors in city governments, business, civic and ethnic organizations, social service agencies, neighborhood groups, and ordinary citizens. Using different theoretical perspectives and frameworks, from political science, sociology, geography and urban planning, the authors show how the arrival of refugees affected our understanding of safety and security, local decision-making, provision of housing, food policies, and urban planning. They also offer suggestions and recommendations for more fair, just, and equitable policies that promise to address the needs of refugees and create more inclusive urban communities.
The great number of actors in port city regions, such as port authorities, municipalities, national governments, private companies, societal groups, and flora and fauna, need to develop shared visions. Collaborative approaches that focus on combined values can help achieve long-term resilience and enable a sustainable and just coexistence of port and city actors within the same territory. However, the sheer focus on economic profit generated by port activities overshadows and ignores equally essential cultural, societal, and environmental values and needs. The lack of pluralities in planning and decision-making processes creates challenges for the cohabitation of the many actors and their interests within port-city regions. On the one hand, contemporary spaces in port cities cannot be classified and defined by traditional dichotomies anymore. On the other hand, the perception of spatial and institutional boundaries between port and city leads to a positivistic-driven definition of a rigid and inflexible, line-like interface physically and mentally separating the port from the urban activities and stakeholders, neglecting the inseparable character of many parts of our society. By investigating and re-imagining the future port-development plans within the historic mining town of Kirkenes, located around 400 km above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway, the aim of this article is to explore and combine the concepts of negative and positive porosity and liminality and arrive at a renewed perception of the port cityscape, which can function as dynamic thresholds inbetween the multiple dualities and realities of various port and city actors. The article bridges the theoretical/conceptual sphere of urban porosity and the practical approaches of liminal design. By using Design Fiction as a tool for creating new, innovative, and pluralistic port city narratives, the article contributes to contemporary research that aims for imaginary, value-based, and history-informed approaches to designing future-proof, resilient, just, and sustainable port cities.
To date, the urban environment is considered as an interesting area of sociological research. Urban space represents a built environment, which includes buildings, streets, squares, parks, embankments, etc. Every day, citizens interact with this public space, build their routes, form impressions and the image of the city, they also evaluate its effectiveness in connection with opportunities for the realization of their needs of socio–cultural interaction. Public spaces are those places where holidays are held, social and economic relations are formed, verbal and non-verbal communications are created. In urban public space take place meetings of friends and acquaintances, the integration of various cultures, social groups with diverse goals, norms and attitudes. Public spaces act as a stage for the social life of individuals when they are a comfortable, accessible and safe environment. The article presents the results of a sociological study of the conformity of public spaces of the city of Vyazma in the Smolensk region with the needs of its population. The study was conducted using observation and interview methods. An analysis of the collected data helped to identify the main purpose of the urban public space as it is seen by the residents, the types of their interactions, to determine the structure, functions and effectiveness, as well as to assess the quality of the content and equipment of the urban public spaces, as well as to identify the most active groups of population and how their activities change in the daily and seasonal cycles. Based on the results obtained, recommendations were developed for improving and developing public space and urban life in general. Recommendations can become the basis for creating design solutions for a comfortable, safe and innovative environment for both small and large cities.
Municipal structures and authorities seek to cover many aspects of the lives of citizens, organizations and enterprises with planning. This applies to the creation of favorable conditions for business (investment), housing, recreation areas (parks, squares), road construction, development of social infrastructure, solving environmental problems and so on. The authorities should take into account various economic and socio-demographic factors in their attempts to plan and effectively manage the solution of urban problems, first of all, taking into account the peculiarities of social stratification and territorial mobility of the population. The conclusion of Robert Park (in the work “The City”) about the socio-cultural heterogeneity of the city (especially large) retains its significance. It should be borne in mind that each urban group has its own culture, social composition and behaviour. It is important to ensure the harmonious interaction of all groups in the common interest. One of the aspects of the life of the city, which remains without sufficient attention, is the interaction of generations (generational groups) in the socio - cultural space of the city. Sociological facts show high importance for certain generational groups of both the same type and different problems that require attention from municipal (and state) management structures (as well as from business and public organizations). For example, the same type of problems for representatives of different generations are material (financial and economic)-job security and income. To varying degrees, the problems of health and treatment, leisure and communication (and loneliness), provision of own housing and others are relevant. Urban lifestyle, in contrast to rural, contributes to the weakening of blood ties, weakening of intergenerational relations in the family version. However, at the level of interpersonal and intercultural relations, the city does not cancel, but modifies intergenerational socio-cultural ties and exchanges. Within the framework of educational, labor and public organizations, the processes of intergenerational socio-cultural relations and exchanges manifest themselves and develop in the form of subcultures. Still H.W. Zorbaugh, analyzing the problem of “cities and communities” in the monograph “Golden coast and slum”, warned against excessive idealism in an effort to subordinate all any programs, management and stressed that the life of the local area has a natural organization that must be taken into account. It should be borne in mind that each city has its own history and certain unique features. Therefore, there are no universal urban planning and management solutions for the planning and development of all cities. In the work on the new appearance and structure of cities, an important place belongs not only to specialists in the field of architecture and urbanism, Economics and management, but also to the collective creativity of residents of different generational groups. Naturally, municipal (and state) bodies (as well as business and public organizations) can influence the solution of most problems only indirectly. These opportunities need to be used purposefully and fully. One of the goals in this process is to harmonize the interaction of generations (generational groups) in the socio-cultural space of the city.