Measuring spatial justice in the distribution of urban uses

جغرافیا و توسعه فضای شهری

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 April 2025   

Document Type: Scientific-Research

DOI: 10.22067/jgusd.2025.84004.1342

Authors

mehdi zanganeh^{* 1}; Amirhossein shirazian²; mobina rajabi³; zohreh pirzadeh⁴

¹Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Assistant Professor, Hakim Sabzevari University

²Geography, Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi, Mashhad, Iran.

³Master's degree graduate, Ferdowsi University.

⁴Master student in Geography and Urban Planning, Ferdowsi University.

Abstract

One of the most important consequences of the rapid growth of urbanization and physical development of cities in the country over the past decades has been the unequal distribution of urban service land uses and the level of access that citizens have to them. In this context, sports land uses, which are essential for the health of the community, hold significant importance. Therefore, the appropriate establishment of such land uses and their accessibility for all citizens is recognized as a fundamental necessity. This research, which is applied and conducted with a descriptive-analytical method, examines the spatial distribution of sports land uses in the city of Mashhad from the perspective of spatial justice. To analyze the data, spatial statistical models have been used. In the first step, the spatial distribution pattern of sports centers and the evaluation of the dispersion of this land use in the environment of ArcMap software were investigated using density, clustering, the G-statistic, and spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I). In the next step, the spatial autocorrelation between population and the number of sports land uses in relation to the distribution and density of sports centers at the regional level was analyzed and evaluated using Moran’s index in the Geoda software. The results show that the distribution of sports facilities and services in Mashhad’s urban areas is not balanced and coordinated. Specifically, regions 2, 10, and 11 have the highest density, while regions 8 and 12 have the lowest sports density. Additionally, there is no logical correlation between population density and sports service per capita in the areas. Peripheral areas with high population density have less access to sports services, which contrasts with the approach of spatial justice.

Keywords

Spatial justice; distribution of services; urban spaces; sports facilities; Mashhad city

References