Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Women and Family Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
10.30471/rsm.2026.12454.1634
Abstract
Urban informal settlement is a major structural challenge to sustainable development in developing countries, accompanied by social, economic, and spatial vulnerabilities that threaten residents’ health, security, and well-being. This study examines the role of smart technologies in interaction with data-driven governance and participatory, neighborhood-based management in reducing the vulnerability of informal settlements.
Employing a qualitative approach and thematic analysis, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 local residents, urban experts, and social activists in Koo-e Bahar neighborhood, Karaj, Iran. The findings indicate that smart technologies, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), participatory digital platforms, and Internet of Things (IoT)-based tools, can facilitate citizen participation, improve decision-making, and reduce vulnerability only when integrated within a responsive, coherent, and neighborhood-oriented data-driven governance framework. In the absence of such a framework, technology may have limited effectiveness and contribute to institutional distrust and digital exclusion.
Based on the findings, this article proposes a multi-layered operational model for data-driven local management, integrating official and participatory data, active community engagement, and management dashboards at neighborhood, city, provincial, and national levels. The model enables a shift from reactive and intuitive management toward preventive, adaptive, learning-oriented, and participatory governance. The results demonstrate that “smartness” in informal settlements depends less on technological advancement than on the quality of data governance, digital equity, and the depth of meaningful social participation.
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