1- Assistant professor of Social Science department, Shiraz University, Iran
2- Assistant professor of Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies department, Brandon University, Canada
Abstract: (6415 Views)
Abstract
In current settlement planning settlements are either rural or urban. In reality human settlements are more diverse than this dichotomy and current definitions of rural and urban settlements are not comprehensive from political, administrative and scientific points of view and show lack of attention to various factors that shape human settlements and their status. In other words changing the status of a settlement based on public demand might not change the real status of a settlement.
Application of models based on fuzzy logic as a relative approach in identification and classification of human settlements provides a better and more diverse framework for human settlement grouping based on various social, environmental and economic factors. Changing the status of a settlement from rural to urban without considering the role of such factors will not only increase the public expenditures, but also will increase public expectations and demand for inefficient services. Identification of those rural settlements with higher membership degree to urban settlements will help planners and policy makers to make better decisions when trying to accept or reject the status of a settlement.
The main aim of this study is to assess the use fuzzy logic to identify rural settlements that are suitable for getting the city status. Rural settlement in Tehran province, Iran, has been selected as case study.
Received: 2010/05/25 | Accepted: 2010/05/25 | Published: 2010/05/25