Metropolitan Networks: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of Social Ties in Tehran

• In Event: 1451 - Community and Urban Sociology Section Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 16. Social Ties and Collective Efficacy

Abstract

Drawing on data collected in Tehran, Iran, this paper explores whether and how much social networks of urban dwellers are spread across the metropolitan area and what we can learn about the relation between social structure and location of close ties. While other scholars have shown that social networks in metropolitan areas extend beyond local communities, I look into where these ties are actually located and what their geographical location can tell us about class relations and social hierarchies embedded in place. The analysis is based on data collected in eight carefully-chosen and diversely-located public spaces in Tehran, including survey data (n= 242) and interviews. By providing a quantifiable measure of the location of the respondents and their ties, I examine the level of propinquity of social ties, show that they are often located beyond local communities, and offer possible interpretations for the findings. Using interview data and longer conversations with survey respondents, I then discuss the ways in which these networks are formed and/or sustained and how they can be interpreted in terms of class relations and experiences and perceptions of the city.

Author

• Jaleh Jalili, Oberlin College