The Necessity of the Radical Rethinking of Urban Informality A Critical and Analytical Review of Iran's Urban Planning and Policy Documents

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Design and Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

3 Ph.D. Researcher, Department of Urban Planning and Design, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In informality studies in a general and informal settlement, in particular, the informal is represented based on a dualistic approach concerning the formal issue, and such distinction is a social construction derived from the mainstream development discourse in which, the exchange (instead of consuming) and speculative (instead of realistic concept) are used as the criteria for spatial development. In this case, any space constructed out of this meaning is labeled as undeveloped and informal spaces that are the deepest deviations from the ideal development trajectory. Formality-informality border rooted in modernism and capitalism trends to encourage "non-west others" to pursue idealist development path by employing humanitarian colonialism, authoritarianism, and technocracy. The dominated urban planning and policymaking in Iran is also derived from such dualistic thought which has evoled from deconstruction of informal settlements to empowering their residents to overcome this social reality. Due to the increasing growth in the population living in informal settlements over recent years in Iran, it seems that it is time to question the success of dominated thought. Therefore, the present study aimed at going beyond such dual-dominated thought by introducing some alternatives to the development of current and relevant conceptual constructions, including undeveloped, third world, informal settlements, and so forth. This requires a radical reading of the urban informality and informal settlement by adopting "post-development critical discourse". According to urban studies derived from the "southern world", alternatives, such as subaltern and everyday urbanism, are introduced for the dominated urbanism in the world. The research structure has been organized based on the critical paradigm and philosophical framework that consider reality as a complex and dynamic procedure with several levels. In this case, the hidden level of reality must be analyzed to leave the surface and actual behind and discover the deep structures. Accordingly, this study was conducted to provide some teachings based on the findings obtained from the analytical-critical review of world theories. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to indicate the necessity of a critical approach to revising the mainstream urban development and planning regarding informal settlement in Iran. Findings showed that such teachings are based on the study of daily life and lived reality in informal settlements to scrutinize the generators and mechanisms of such lived space. In this case, some new theories and conceptual alternatives can be presented beyond the stereotypes and dualities in dominated planning. Subaltern experiences help produce the theoretical alternatives and provincialize the authoritative knowledge geography and theory production. The concept of informality is beyond the governmental rules and regulations without confirming dual perception and identifying dynamic, sophisticated, and robust relationships between formal and informal activities. Formal/informal distinction is presented as a fluidity, instability, and situation movement. Formal and informal relations are neither fixed nor abstract concepts. Subaltern urbanism describes informal settlements as a context of residence, livelihood, self-organization, and policies, while this is not an integrated theory like global urbanism. Therefore, teachings of such alternative theories generated in local communities in the southern world can pave the way for revision, conceptualization, and social construction of an alternative to informal settlement reality in Iran.

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References

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Journal of Architecture and Urban Planning
Volume 15, Issue 37
December 2022
Pages 5-26

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