Factors Affecting the Selection of Survival Strategies for the Urban Poor: A Case Study of Residents of Disfunctional Tissues in Torbat-e Jam)

Urban poor use many initiatives to survive before they reach a real dead end in life and pose fundamental risks to themselves and the host community. There is a variety of strategies used by poor households in Iran and the world with different consequences depending on the type and extent of use.

This descriptive and analytical study has investigated the factors affecting the selection of survival strategies among residents of disfunctional urban tissues (marginal section). Due to the nature of the subject, the data were obtained in two ways, including qualitative (sample size of 30 households) and quantitative (survey of 300 households living in this area). The collected data were analyzed qualitatively based on the content analysis (according to Brown and Clark’S framework) and quantitatively in the form of logistic regression.

The results showed that although the number of households that choose risky strategies is small, around 10%, the same number is very important and fundamental considering the border situation of the city in question and its cultural and social conditions. Quantitative investigations also show that households with little social capital are twice as likely to choose high-risk strategies as those who use social capital.

The development of social capital among the poor not only prevents them from remaining in this cycle but also helps them consider strategies that have the least social, family, and individual consequences even if they enter the cycle of poverty. To strengthen social capital, it is necessary to form cultural associations and connections among the inhabitants of disfunctional urban contexts.