Difference between revisions of "Slum"
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==Origin== | ==Origin== | ||
| − | The origin of the word ''slum'' is thought to be the Irish phrase '''S lom é'' (pron. s'lum ae) [[meaning]] "it is a bleak or [[destitute]] place." An 1812 English dictionary defined slum to mean "a room". By the 1920s it had become a common [[slang]] [[expression]] in England, meaning either various taverns and eating houses, "loose talk" or [[gypsy]] [[language]], or a room with "low going-ons". In ''Life in London'' [ | + | The origin of the word ''slum'' is thought to be the Irish phrase '''S lom é'' (pron. s'lum ae) [[meaning]] "it is a bleak or [[destitute]] place." An 1812 English dictionary defined slum to mean "a room". By the 1920s it had become a common [[slang]] [[expression]] in England, meaning either various taverns and eating houses, "loose talk" or [[gypsy]] [[language]], or a room with "low going-ons". In ''Life in London'' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Egan Pierce Egan] used the word in the [[context]] of the "back slums" of Holy Lane or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Giles St Giles]. A footnote defined slum to mean "low, unfrequent parts of the town". [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens Charles Dickens] used the word slum in a similar way in 1840, writing "I mean to take a great, London, back-slum kind walk tonight". Slum began to be used to describe bad housing soon after and was used as alternative [[expression]] for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rookery_(slum) rookeries]. In 1850 the Catholic Cardinal Wiseman described the area known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Acre Devil's Acre] in Westminster, London as follows: |
<blockquote>"Close under the Abbey of Westminster there lie concealed labyrinths of lanes and potty and alleys and slums, nests of ignorance, vice, depravity, and crime, as well as of squalor, wretchedness, and disease; whose atmosphere is typhus, whose ventilation is cholera; in which swarms of huge and almost countless population, nominally at least, Catholic; haunts of filth, which no sewage committee can reach - dark corners, which no lighting board can brighten."</blockquote> | <blockquote>"Close under the Abbey of Westminster there lie concealed labyrinths of lanes and potty and alleys and slums, nests of ignorance, vice, depravity, and crime, as well as of squalor, wretchedness, and disease; whose atmosphere is typhus, whose ventilation is cholera; in which swarms of huge and almost countless population, nominally at least, Catholic; haunts of filth, which no sewage committee can reach - dark corners, which no lighting board can brighten."</blockquote> | ||
This passage was widely quoted in the national press, leading to the [[Popular|popularisation]] of the word slum to describe bad housing. | This passage was widely quoted in the national press, leading to the [[Popular|popularisation]] of the word slum to describe bad housing. | ||
| − | *[ | + | *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century 1825] |
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
| − | A '''slum''', as defined by the United Nations agency [ | + | A '''slum''', as defined by the United Nations agency [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN-HABITAT UN-HABITAT], is a run-down area of a [[city]] characterized by substandard housing, squalor, and lacking in tenure [[security]]. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the developing world between 1990 and 2005. However, due to rising [[population]], and the rise especially in urban populations, the number of slum dwellers is rising. One billion people worldwide live in slums and the figure is projected to grow to 2 billion by 2030. |
| − | The term has [[traditionally]] referred to housing areas that were once [[relatively]] [[affluent]] but which deteriorated as the original dwellers moved on to newer and better parts of the [[city]], but has come to include the vast [ | + | The term has [[traditionally]] referred to housing areas that were once [[relatively]] [[affluent]] but which deteriorated as the original dwellers moved on to newer and better parts of the [[city]], but has come to include the vast [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informal_settlements informal settlements] found in cities in the developing world. |
| − | Many shanty town dwellers vigorously oppose the [[description]] of their communities as 'slums' arguing that this results in them being pathologised and then, often, subject to threats of evictions. Many [[academics]] have vigorously criticized UN-Habitat and the [ | + | Many shanty town dwellers vigorously oppose the [[description]] of their communities as 'slums' arguing that this results in them being pathologised and then, often, subject to threats of evictions. Many [[academics]] have vigorously criticized UN-Habitat and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bank World Bank] arguing that their 'Cities Without Slums' Campaign has led directly to a massive increase in forced evictions. |
Although their characteristics vary between geographic regions, they are usually inhabited by the very [[poor]] or socially disadvantaged. Slum buildings vary from [[simple]] shacks to permanent and well-maintained structures. Most slums lack clean water, [[electricity]], sanitation and other basic [[services]]. | Although their characteristics vary between geographic regions, they are usually inhabited by the very [[poor]] or socially disadvantaged. Slum buildings vary from [[simple]] shacks to permanent and well-maintained structures. Most slums lack clean water, [[electricity]], sanitation and other basic [[services]]. | ||
| − | The rising phenomenon of [ | + | The rising phenomenon of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slum_tourism slum tourism] has western tourists paying to take guided tours of slums. This tourism niche is operating in almost all major slums around the world, including in Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Kibera, and Jakarta.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slum] |
[[Category: Sociology]] | [[Category: Sociology]] | ||
Latest revision as of 01:55, 13 December 2020
Origin
The origin of the word slum is thought to be the Irish phrase 'S lom é (pron. s'lum ae) meaning "it is a bleak or destitute place." An 1812 English dictionary defined slum to mean "a room". By the 1920s it had become a common slang expression in England, meaning either various taverns and eating houses, "loose talk" or gypsy language, or a room with "low going-ons". In Life in London Pierce Egan used the word in the context of the "back slums" of Holy Lane or St Giles. A footnote defined slum to mean "low, unfrequent parts of the town". Charles Dickens used the word slum in a similar way in 1840, writing "I mean to take a great, London, back-slum kind walk tonight". Slum began to be used to describe bad housing soon after and was used as alternative expression for rookeries. In 1850 the Catholic Cardinal Wiseman described the area known as Devil's Acre in Westminster, London as follows:
"Close under the Abbey of Westminster there lie concealed labyrinths of lanes and potty and alleys and slums, nests of ignorance, vice, depravity, and crime, as well as of squalor, wretchedness, and disease; whose atmosphere is typhus, whose ventilation is cholera; in which swarms of huge and almost countless population, nominally at least, Catholic; haunts of filth, which no sewage committee can reach - dark corners, which no lighting board can brighten."
This passage was widely quoted in the national press, leading to the popularisation of the word slum to describe bad housing.
Description
A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing, squalor, and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the developing world between 1990 and 2005. However, due to rising population, and the rise especially in urban populations, the number of slum dwellers is rising. One billion people worldwide live in slums and the figure is projected to grow to 2 billion by 2030.
The term has traditionally referred to housing areas that were once relatively affluent but which deteriorated as the original dwellers moved on to newer and better parts of the city, but has come to include the vast informal settlements found in cities in the developing world.
Many shanty town dwellers vigorously oppose the description of their communities as 'slums' arguing that this results in them being pathologised and then, often, subject to threats of evictions. Many academics have vigorously criticized UN-Habitat and the World Bank arguing that their 'Cities Without Slums' Campaign has led directly to a massive increase in forced evictions.
Although their characteristics vary between geographic regions, they are usually inhabited by the very poor or socially disadvantaged. Slum buildings vary from simple shacks to permanent and well-maintained structures. Most slums lack clean water, electricity, sanitation and other basic services.
The rising phenomenon of slum tourism has western tourists paying to take guided tours of slums. This tourism niche is operating in almost all major slums around the world, including in Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Kibera, and Jakarta.[1]
