Sociological Redefinition of the Concept of Neighborhood from the Resident's Viewpoint: A Phenomenological Study of Kan Neighborhood in District 5 of Tehran

Urbanization is regarded as one of the necessities of life in the present era. It is a social phenomenon that can pave the way for development and is itself a product of development. It is not the urban buildings and furniture that make up a city; rather, what makes up a city and gives it identity is the interactions among citizens and the sense of citizenship. A neighborhood is the smallest unit of urban organization. This study aims at redefining the concept of neighborhood in the minds of its residents. The method used was descriptive phenomenology. The population under study was Kan neighborhood in District 5 of Tehran, Iran. The number of interviewees was 32, and the theoretical saturation method was used in sampling. Moreover, concepts and theories from Putnam, Cooley, Lynch, Schwartz, and Rapoport were used. The analysis of the interviews revealed three main themes: granting identity, social capital, and subjectivity. A combination of these three themes makes up the definition of neighborhood in the minds of the residents of Kan neighborhood. The interpretation of data revealed that neighborhood is a phenomenon that cannot be considered merely in physical or abstract terms; there are non-physical factors essential in its identification and nature.