Element Identification of Spatial Disorder in Northeast China’s Cities –A Study Using Photovoice Method

Abstract

The paper applied a method of photovoice to explore residents' identification of spatial disorder elements at the neighborhood scale in a low-economic city in northeastern China. Through the photographs taken and the interviews, the paper summarized eight thematic elements of disorder, from which the seven most influential elements were extracted using participatory sessions, further emphasizing the participatory nature of the method. A low-inference approach was used to analyze the coded contents. The results indicated that the element of disorder in low-quality communities in China differ from those in public housing in Western countries, with pedestrian safety being a key element in identifying spatial disorder in communities for Chinese residents. Moreover, in a community with high levels of disorder, occupants' identification of the causes of disorderly elements is frequently associated with the lack of management of properties in the community and the uncivil behavior of other residents. These findings provide a reference for the refined management of some older neighborhoods in China, as well as filling the gap in neighborhood-scale disorder perception in the Chinese context.