Abstract

Urban social sustainability has become one of the rising topics drawing the attention of urbanists and policymakers all over the world. Yet, in Egypt, the concept is not given enough consideration in the current urban development context. It is still quite immature in both theory and practice, especially in new cities where social problems can be challenges to the sustainability of communities. In addition, a neighborhood is found to be a critical urban scale that affects both individuals and the society as a whole. Therefore, this research sheds light on the importance of embracing the concept of urban social sustainability within the neighborhood scale as a way of achieving a better overall urban sustainability in Egypt. The research questions the factors that build a socially sustainable neighborhood and their relevance in the context of Egyptian new cities. To answer this, a comprehensive literature review was conducted and a qualitative methodology was adopted. Research tools such as face-to-face interviews and direct observations were used in a case study analysis to achieve a clearer understanding of the concept within the Egyptian context. The findings revealed that the selected case study - South Academy A in New Cairo City - has poor social sustainability mainly because of factors embedded in its urban form and planning, in addition to the centralized urban governance system; both have resulted in limited accessibility and low community wellbeing. The findings also highlight the importance of the urban form dimension as a basic principle in achieving a socially sustainable neighborhood, and it calls for a paradigm shift in the current Egyptian urban planning and policymaking. Conclusively, the research proposes a guiding framework and a set of recommendations that could be utilized in an attempt towards a more socially sustainable urban situation in Egypt.

Degree Name

MS in Sustainable Development

Graduation Date

2-1-2017

Submission Date

January 2018

First Advisor

Abdelhalim, Khaled

Committee Member 1

Kamel, Basil

Committee Member 2

Wahba, Sherine

Extent

151 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Approval has been obtained for this item

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