A Conceptual Framework for Promoting Neighborhood Social Sustainability: A Review of Literature

Abstract

Social sustainability is a component of sustainability that has received attention in recent years. Its objective is to promote social well-being and improve the quality of life of people. Built environments play a significant role in social well-being in cities. Neighborhoods, therefore, being the essential physical and social components of cities, offer great opportunities for investigating the social sustainability of built environments. This paper examines social sustainability to produce a theoretical framework to examine the social issues related to cities. It employs a document survey as a research method and examines published literature systematically, to shed light on the multifaceted discourse surrounding social sustainability. It elucidates its diverse manifestations portrayed within scholarly discourse. The findings show that the concept revolves around two concepts: physical and non-physical attributes. They consist of several indicators measurable on objective and subjective criteria. These relate to both physical and non-physical attributes, as well as the aspirations and experiences of people, as a component of social sustainability. This research offers valuable insights into neighborhood-related social sustainability, establishing a foundation for academic investigations. It presents a novel framework of the two pillars of social sustainability, to clarify its multifaceted nature. The framework can help in developing a tool for a holistic comprehension of social sustainability