As each of us hear the word slum or read anywhere, a picture comes to our mind which is usually dilapidated, dirty, congested having narrow lanes etc. Scholars have extensively defined the concept of slum. Let us look at a few of them.
Charles J Stokes in his article “A theory of slums” (1962) writes that in a slum, the housing and also the social activities or arrangements develop differently from that of the city. From this definition it can be said that slums are a part of a city yet it is different from the usual city atmosphere. He emphasizes on the pattern of housing and the social arrangements that makes it look different from that of a city.
Let us look at another definition given by scholars, Benjamin Marx, Thomas Stocker and Tavneet …show more content…
A few of the economist such as Frakenhoff 1967, Turner 1969, World Bank 2009 and Glaeser 2011 suggested a “modernization theory” of slums. According to this theory of slums, slums are temporary/ short term characteristics of fast growing economies. This temporary feature gives way to formal housing as fast mode of economy slows down or when any society approaches its later stage of economic development. The scholars favouring this theory argues that rural migrants stays in these slums for a short period after which they gradually move into the city and start staying in formal housing.
However this modernization theory of slums has been contested by Marx, Stocker and Suri in their scholarly article that critiques that slums do not always seem to be a temporary phenomenon of migration to cities. They say that slums have been growing for years and years and there are millions of people who find themselves trapped in slums for generations. (Marx, Stocker, Suri; …show more content…
In countries like India where 65 million people reside in slums itself, slums are an ever growing phenomenon. People stay and then the families get expanded year after year.
SLUMS OLD OR NEW
Slums are a not a new phenomenon. The first evidence of slums comes from the era of Industrial revolution in the United Kingdom and United States. These slums were distinctive feature of the cities at that time. However unlike the present day, the slums were not located within the ambit of the cities rather they were situated in the outskirts of the dynamic economic growth. These slums attracted a wide number of rural migrants who came to the cities in search of some economic opportunity. (Marx, Stocker, Suri; 2013)
Example can be cited of the Hell’s Kitchen area located at New York City near the Hudson River. The Hell’s Kitchen area attracted a wide number of rural people due to the fact that the area was in proximity to the docks and railways and also the expanding city nearby. (All the three i.e. docks, railways and city considered the hub of commerce)
Charles J Stokes in his article “A theory of slums” (1962) writes that in a slum, the housing and also the social activities or arrangements develop differently from that of the city. From this definition it can be said that slums are a part of a city yet it is different from the usual city atmosphere. He emphasizes on the pattern of housing and the social arrangements that makes it look different from that of a city.
Let us look at another definition given by scholars, Benjamin Marx, Thomas Stocker and Tavneet …show more content…
A few of the economist such as Frakenhoff 1967, Turner 1969, World Bank 2009 and Glaeser 2011 suggested a “modernization theory” of slums. According to this theory of slums, slums are temporary/ short term characteristics of fast growing economies. This temporary feature gives way to formal housing as fast mode of economy slows down or when any society approaches its later stage of economic development. The scholars favouring this theory argues that rural migrants stays in these slums for a short period after which they gradually move into the city and start staying in formal housing.
However this modernization theory of slums has been contested by Marx, Stocker and Suri in their scholarly article that critiques that slums do not always seem to be a temporary phenomenon of migration to cities. They say that slums have been growing for years and years and there are millions of people who find themselves trapped in slums for generations. (Marx, Stocker, Suri; …show more content…
In countries like India where 65 million people reside in slums itself, slums are an ever growing phenomenon. People stay and then the families get expanded year after year.
SLUMS OLD OR NEW
Slums are a not a new phenomenon. The first evidence of slums comes from the era of Industrial revolution in the United Kingdom and United States. These slums were distinctive feature of the cities at that time. However unlike the present day, the slums were not located within the ambit of the cities rather they were situated in the outskirts of the dynamic economic growth. These slums attracted a wide number of rural migrants who came to the cities in search of some economic opportunity. (Marx, Stocker, Suri; 2013)
Example can be cited of the Hell’s Kitchen area located at New York City near the Hudson River. The Hell’s Kitchen area attracted a wide number of rural people due to the fact that the area was in proximity to the docks and railways and also the expanding city nearby. (All the three i.e. docks, railways and city considered the hub of commerce)