Sociologist: Young People Sometimes Take to the Streets Because They Have Nowhere to Be / Why Must One Have a Destination to Walk in Tehran?

Recent remarks by the head of the Greater Tehran Public Places Supervision Police, describing Sanaei and Iranshahr streets as places for "aimless pedestrians," have once again raised the question of whether citizens only have the right to be on the street when they have a specific destination.

The recent statements of the police chief supervising the public places of Greater Tehran about Sanai and Iranshahr streets and describing them as "far away from pedestrians" has once again raised the question of whether citizens have the right to be on the street only when they have a specific destination.

According to Ambassador Arjan, Mehdi Qavamipour, a sociologist, believes that the street is not just a way to pass, but a space for socializing, spending leisure time and experiencing social life. A space in which presence should not necessarily be justified by reaching a specific destination.

Referring to the presence of young people in the streets of Sanai and Iranshahr, Qavamipour says: "Perhaps the more important question is why there must be a destination to be on the street?"

The description of this conversation has been published under the title "Pedestrians around the streets of Tehran" / Sociologist: Don't take the street away from the youth / The youth sometimes come to the street because they have no place to be.

He believes that when the aimless presence on the street is defined as "far far away", it is not just a question of describing a behavior, but a kind of valuation is also formed about the way citizens are present in the public space.

This sociologist explains that power does not only determine accepted norms, but it can also name behaviors outside of this framework and place them in an abnormal position.

According to him, streets and sidewalks are more than traffic routes. People walk in these spaces, see each other, meet their friends and form a part of their daily life. Therefore, being on the street does not necessarily mean moving towards another destination.

Explaining this issue, Qavamipour says: "Maybe that young man doesn't really know why he goes from the beginning to the end of the street and back again, but the answer may be simpler than we imagine: he is not going anywhere; It just wants to be somewhere."

He emphasizes that it is the possibility of being present, socializing and experiencing the city that transforms the street from a simple route into a social space; A space whose function cannot be measured only by passing through and reaching the destination.