The Journal of Community Development (Rural-Urban)

The Journal of Community Development (Rural-Urban)

Stigmatized Places: Analysis of the Contexts and Symptoms of Stigma in a Marginal Settlement in Tabriz

Authors
Behnam Nouri 1
Asghar Izadijeiran 2
Mohammad Alizadeh aghdam 2
Mohammad Abbaszadeh 1
1 Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Human Sciences, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran.
2 Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Human Sciences, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran
10.22059/jrd.2025.364392.668813
Abstract
This ethnographic research delineates the daily lived experiences of the marginal residents of the suburb and endeavors to understand the local stigma and subsequent stigma imposed on them by identifying the actions and lived experiences of the residents.
Ethnographic fieldwork is implemented in this investigation. The data was collected using the primary techniques of ethnographic data collection, and analytical themes were subsequently developed through the review of field notes. The current research is conducted at the field site situated in the southwestern region of Tabriz.
The discrediting processes of the settlement include following: limited access to resources and the concentration of some social harms such as addiction, theft and prostitution, and the result is the threat of individual subjectivity; Distorted identity, which is associated with symptoms of low self-esteem, feelings of inferiority, and stigma, and leads to the invisible life of the residents; emotional burnout, which is related to the experience of stress, disappointment, and shame, and leads to social isolation and disconnection of residents. This process in their lives undoubtedly results in anguish and discomfort, which is the psychological repercussion of the stigma of a specific lived experience.
The results indicate that the informal way of life in the informal settlements in the suburb is indicative of the stigma that an individual carries. Stigma is a significantly more dominant factor in their sense of humiliation. In this manner, the suburb is linked to the informal economy, which has significantly contributed to the stigmatization of the settlement.
Keywords
Health
Infamous Identity
Shame
Social Suffering
Suburb
Territorial Stigma
Urban Ethnography
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