Mutual Aid and Moral Behaviour in the Animal Kingdom

“A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being.” – Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) One regularly hears people describe a dangerous and violent person as an “animal.” This is always an injustice, not to the person, but to all animals. There is most often nothing harmful and attributed to “animals” that is done by them, but which is done on a daily basis by humans. Only in cases of … Continue reading

How Could Urban Planners Contribute to Social Cohesion in Cities?

While most of the implemented programmes that promote social cohesion are based on people’s ideology, perceptions, and social behaviours, the impact of the physical built environment, that hosts people’s lives and their social interactions, remains less tackled. In the context of urban planning, to what extent do our cities affect the advancement of social cohesion of communities? And could elusive and complex social concepts – like social cohesion – be tackled in a practical spatial planning approach that yields concrete actions? The fostering of social cohesion gained intensive focus in the literature of urban planning and sustainable development studies, especially … Continue reading