DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE PUBLIC SPACE AS ASPECTS OF HAPPINESS AND WELLBEING | ||||
| Journal of Urban Research | ||||
| Article 7, Volume 28, Issue 1, April 2018, Page 109-129 PDF (1.15 MB) | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jur.2018.88384 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Ahmed Salah El-Din Ouf; Nourhan Abbas El-Zafarany | ||||
| Faculty of Engineering, Cairo university | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The city is a sensory, emotional, lived experience, yet generally discussed in technical jargon as a lifeless, detached being. The city houses intense and highly politicized social processes. Its dense interconnections and sheer heterogeneity have inspired the creation of the current status of institutions, process of marginalization and social justice. Public space as the spatial aspect of the public realm is the playground where the society reinvents itself. This research aims at exploring the aspects of diversity and inclusion in today’s cities, and linking them to the happiness and well-being of their inhabitants. Segregation and fragmentation are the counterparts of acknowledging, and respecting diversity and adopting Inclusive policies, let alone creating an "Inclusive city". Differences in the way space and opportunities are produced, appropriated, transformed and used, reflect the fragmentations or inclusion of the society. The creation of a happy city depends on a wellbeing oriented city design and policies. Social inclusion has been proven to have a large share of effect on mental health and wellbeing. The research starts off with building a theoretical base through a detailed literature review. The research then goes to discuss the segregation versus inclusion through the comparative analysis of public spaces, from different countries across the world, then through the focus on the public spaces of Egypt. The research results in highlighting the significance of a thorough study of the heterogeneity of the society for the public space design to be successful, as well as taking a part in the creation of the happy city. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Diversity; Inclusion; Happiness; Well-being; Policy; Festivals | ||||
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