TR
EN
Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas
Abstract
This paper aims to examine the meaning, application, and effects of the term ‘slum’ in urban planning and development plans to discover the purposes behind this meaning. The problem is located in the extensively use the term without paying deep attention to the impression of the term as a negative prejudgment. Content analysis, logical argument, and interpretation techniques were applied in this research to analyze the genesis, publicizing, and advocating the meaning of the word technically. The results of research reveal that the meaning of the term slum was extracted from words with negative meanings and impressions to legitimize slum demolishing. Epistemological analysis reveals that the meaning of the ‘slum’ was centralized by operational centers to orient the attention to some physical improvement as upgrading rather than the solution. Despite the upgrading policies, the percentage of slum dwellers has increased. This study attained three trends in the definition of slum: formalists with orientation to physical specifications, pragmatists with a focus on operations and actions, and critical studies who endeavor in exposing the problems based on social and economic factors in the context. In conclusion, the slum phenomena spotlight broader development deficiencies in urban planning regarding the limitation of social and economic opportunities for public rather than the physical specifications of houses or areas.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Architectural History, Theory and Criticism
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Early Pub Date
September 16, 2025
Publication Date
September 20, 2025
Submission Date
March 8, 2025
Acceptance Date
June 16, 2025
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Volume: 9 Number: 2
APA
Tafahomi, R. (2025). Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research, 9(2), 254-265. https://doi.org/10.54864/planarch.1653985
AMA
1.Tafahomi R. Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research. 2025;9(2):254-265. doi:10.54864/planarch.1653985
Chicago
Tafahomi, Rahman. 2025. “Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas”. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research 9 (2): 254-65. https://doi.org/10.54864/planarch.1653985.
EndNote
Tafahomi R (September 1, 2025) Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research 9 2 254–265.
IEEE
[1]R. Tafahomi, “Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas”, PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 254–265, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.54864/planarch.1653985.
ISNAD
Tafahomi, Rahman. “Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas”. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research 9/2 (September 1, 2025): 254-265. https://doi.org/10.54864/planarch.1653985.
JAMA
1.Tafahomi R. Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research. 2025;9:254–265.
MLA
Tafahomi, Rahman. “Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas”. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research, vol. 9, no. 2, Sept. 2025, pp. 254-65, doi:10.54864/planarch.1653985.
Vancouver
1.Rahman Tafahomi. Reevaluating Slum Terminology: An Epistemological Critique of Urban Informality Ideas. PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research. 2025 Sep. 1;9(2):254-65. doi:10.54864/planarch.1653985