City Centers and Tribal Ghettos: A Case Study of Gypsies in Sabzehvar

A study of city centers in Iran shows that tribal ghettos have been formed as organized units in some of these cities. The gypsies settled in central suburban section of Sabzehvar are among these ghettos. This quarter is one of the problems of Sabzehvar in term of both its form and its sociocultural texture. One of the aims of this research is to study the central section of Sabzehvar, identify the economic, tribal and cultural infrastructure of Golestan quarter as a tribal ghetto in the old texture of Sabzehvar and discover the relationships among the economic, social and population variables for the improvement and renovation of quarters. Gypsies are considered nomadic groups who have a mutual decamping and movement on the basis of local conditions. The literacy level and education rate is very low among gypsies and more than 50% of houses in this quarter face intensive health problems. Seasonal immigrations have an important role in gypsies’ life. The results of this research emphasise the importance of social aspects in gypsies’ immigration. One of the outstanding characteristics of Golestan quarter is the mixing of residential role with commercial function. Statistical tests confirm that the two variables of economic condition and the texture and solidity of the resident’s houses in this quarter are very probably interdependent. This research shows that the health problems of houses is a public problem of the quarter and the economic conditions of families does not affect them much. The tribal and family dependency is one of the most important reasons for settling in this quarter. Affairs such as offense and family problems are of little importance. The results also show that one of the basic causes for the creation and continuation of Golestan quarter in the center of the city is the easy accessibility of the work market and employment in the informal sector. Therefore, their replacement would amount to distancing them from the work location. One of the negative effects of replacing the residents in Golestan quarter is the destruction of social connections and networks in that quarter which help them overcome the difficult and hard conditions of life.