A study of the impact of urban spaces on social resilience in case of natural disasters: Insights from citizens affected by March 2019 flood in Aq Qala City, Iran

Abstract

The number of urban crises has been notably on the rise all around the globe during the past few decades due to shifts in ecological cycles and social challenges, among other reasons. These crises have had a more pronounced impact on urban areas, which are more vulnerable. The various aspects of resilience have become the focal points in sustainable development research and other related studies, and some solutions have been proposed within the concepts and framework of sustainable development for countering these crises, among which urban resilience is more prominent owing to its inherent functional principles. Among the various aspects of resilience, social resilience is linked to the social capacities of urban regions. A review of the related literature reveals the shortage of studies about the relationship between urban spaces and social resilience. This study aims to uncover the mechanisms through which urban spaces influence social resilience following natural disasters through the perceptions of the citizens affected by the March 2019 flood in Aq Qala, Golestan Province, Iran. To achieve this, we first developed a conceptual model grounded in a review of relevant theoretical literature. Subsequently, a structured 5-point scale questionnaire was designed and distributed for data collection. The collected data was then subjected to structural equation modeling to analyze the conceptual model. The findings highlight the critical factors in forming social resilience from the perspective of Aq Qala residents, with a specific emphasis on city structure, activity, social capital, and social cohesion as integral components.