The Study of Mixed Land-use and Social Capital in Different Districts of Kerman City Case Study: Ganjalikhan, Shahr, 24 Azar, Ghadir, and Pansad Dastghah Districts

Land use characteristics affect social behavior and Social Capital (SC) among humans. Due to the different physical dimensions of the dense city neighborhoods, the type of ongoing social interactions in different locations will not be alike. In order to understand Kerman city’s historical quarters, we must analyze the transitions that occurred in the past few decades, and the formation and reshaping of various neighborhoods. The question we must ask is: What is the relationship between mixed land-use (MLU) and Social Capital (SC) in older and newer neighborhoods? In order to answer this question, we must apply the Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) to determine the relationship between the variables, and to measure the amount of MLU and SC, the criteria of "Diversity and Accessibility"; and "Collaboration and Interaction, Neighborhood ties, Trust, Sense of belonging, Participation, Awareness". Based on the findings, the amount of SC and MLU is different in old and new neighborhoods. In all sample neighborhoods, the level of SC is lower than the theoretical average, and the new neighborhood of Pansad-Dastgah is at a higher level than other neighborhoods. In general, there is a causal relationship between SC and MLU in the surveyed neighborhoods. This relationship is direct and incremental in some indicators of "diversity and accessibility" criteria and it is reversed and decreasing in other indices. Also, with increasing MLU, the amount of SC in neighborhoods is amplified. To determine the relationship between LMU and SC, the length of time residents live in a neighborhood and its social context, as well as the assessment of SC, have been considered. The model of old Iranian neighborhoods that have more SC and MLU, and theories of urban planning with MLU in their set of principles, can be a good basis for planning/re-planning in new and existing neighborhoods.