Defining a Just City with Regard to Informal Settlements (Case Study: The Saadi Informal Settlement in the City of Shiraz).

The problem of the spread of inequality among community members in cities has long been defined in varied ways according to different ideologies. Some believe the major reasons for the increase of injustice in cities are the processes of industrialization and capitalism. Accordingly, the solution for the provision of justice is the eradication of their resultant regulations. On the other hand, others believe such a phenomenon should be considered as a fact in the procedure of urban development. Hence, they suggest temporary solutions for its catastrophic results. In this research, it is proposed that people must be enabled through the provision of their basic needs and enhancement of their awareness to gradually reform the unjust mechanisms which have been imposed upon them. One of the chief consequences of injustice in communities and the consequent unbalanced urban developments is the emergence of informal settlements in urban configurations. People who could not comply with the market regulations to possess a house in the formal sector of the cities turn to the informal sector. However, the governments cannot neglect the existence of such settlements and should provide the basic facilities for their improvement. It is argued in this research that people should be enabled subsequently to participate in the process of policy-making in cities. Accordingly, the local organizations, which can provide a competent context for their engagement in urban management, should be strengthened. However, the bureaucratic mechanism of urban management in Iran has limited the authority of local organizations. Such a mechanism has led to the dissatisfaction of the civil society and ignorance of the demands of local people. It is suggested that people need to support the local forums, which can authorize them to be involved in the process of urban development, from below. Hence, that would lead to the improvement of social justice and the reduction of conflict of interest between different community members. I specifically refer to the problems of the people living in the Saadi informal settlement in this research to provide solutions for the improvement of this suburb to a better habitat to live and hence improve the general quality of social justice in the city of Shiraz. Accordingly, I suggest strategies for the social and physical improvement of the suburb, which are the prerequisite for the enablement of the people living in this area, to reform the unjust managerial structures that exist not just in Shiraz, but across Iran. In addition, I explain that neighborhood forums, which exist in the mechanism of the urban management of the country as a link between the local government and the civil society, can provide a good opportunity for the local people to discuss their issues. Although these forums do not play a prominent role in the hierarchical urban management structure of the country, they can gradually be authorized through the support of local people. Accordingly, peoples’ knowledge should be enhanced about such a facilitating mechanism, which can pave the way for their engagement in the process of policy-making and implementing urban plans. Consequently, social justice would improve through the provision of an opportunity for all the community members to take part in urban developments.