Measuring social and cultural capital with emphasis on the willingness to reside in urban spaces; Case study of Amirabad neighborhood in Tehran

The relationship between humans and places, and consequently the sense of spatial and social belonging to urban spaces, has been one of the most important research topics in urban anthropology and sociology. Although the economic capital has significant effect on choosing a place of residence, the factors that enable one to stay and continue living in the chosen place, creating a sense of belonging and attachment to it, and making it difficult to leave, are social and cultural factors that are produced and reproduced within individuals’ living spaces. In the present study, inspired by Bourdieu’s theoretical approach, the social structures influencing individuals' decisions in choosing a place to live and the willingness to reside in District 6 of Tehran were examined. The field of study of the present research was the Amirabad neighborhood of Tehran, where the relationships between social capital, cultural capital, lifestyle, and the inclination to reside in the neighborhood were examined using survey methods and structural equation modeling. The results of the study indicated that the choice of residence is not only the outcome of structural factors such as security, social capital, and local amenities but is also influenced by individual actions and daily decisions related to lifestyle and leisure. Furthermore, habitual consumption patterns and leisure styles play a decisive role in the choice of residence for citizens.