But according to a less widely noticed perspective. The problem is not just voyeurism; it is the limited conception of slums, in that movie and in the public mind. No one denies that slum-also known as shantytowns, squatter cities, and informal settlements- have serious problems. They are as a rule overcrowded, unhealthy, and emblems of profound inequality. But among architects, planners, and other thinkers, there is a growing realization that they also possess unique strengths, and may even hold lessons in successful urban development