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‘Urban Transformation’ as State-led Property Transfer: An Analysis of Two Cases of Urban Renewal in Istanbul

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  • Tuna Kuyucu

    (Department of Sociology, Boğaziçi University,Sosyoloji Bölümü Güney Kampüsü PK. 2 Bebek/Istanbul 34342, Turkey, kuyucutu@hotmail.com)

  • Özlem Ãœnsal

    (Department of Sociology, City University, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK, ozlemunsal@gmail.com)

Abstract

Since 2001, there has been a radical shift in the governance of urban land and housing markets in Turkey from a ‘populist’ to a ‘neo-liberal’ mode. Large ‘urban transformation projects’ (UTPs) are the main mechanisms through which a neo-liberal system is instituted in incompletely commodified urban areas. By analysing two UTPs implemented in an informal housing zone and an inner-city slum in Istanbul, the paper discusses the motivations behind, the socioeconomic consequences of and grassroots resistance movements to the new urban regime. The analysis shows that the UTPs predominantly aim at physical and demographic upgrading of their respective areas rather than improving the living conditions of existing inhabitants, thus instigating a process of property transfer and displacement. It also demonstrates that the property/ tenure structure of an area plays the most important role in determining the form and effectiveness of grassroots movements against the UTPs.

Suggested Citation

  • Tuna Kuyucu & Özlem Ãœnsal, 2010. "‘Urban Transformation’ as State-led Property Transfer: An Analysis of Two Cases of Urban Renewal in Istanbul," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 47(7), pages 1479-1499, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:47:y:2010:i:7:p:1479-1499
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098009353629
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Yiwen Han & Youngkeun Song & Lindsay Burnette & David Lammers, 2017. "Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Formation of Informal Settlements in a Metropolitan Fringe: Seoul (1950–2015)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Mine Eder & Özlem Öz, 2015. "Neoliberalization of Istanbul's Nightlife: Beer or Champagne?," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(2), pages 284-304, March.
    4. Esin Özdemir & Ayda Eraydin, 2017. "Fragmentation in Urban Movements: The Role of Urban Planning Processes," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(5), pages 727-748, September.
    5. Tahire Erman, 2016. "Formalization by the State, Re-Informalization by the People: A Gecekondu Transformation Housing Estate as Site of Multiple Discrepancies," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 425-440, March.
    6. Bahar Sakizlioğlu, 2014. "Inserting Temporality into the Analysis of Displacement: Living Under the Threat of Displacement," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(2), pages 206-220, April.
    7. Tuna Kuyucu, 2014. "Law, Property and Ambiguity: The Uses and Abuses of Legal Ambiguity in Remaking Istanbul's Informal Settlements," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 609-627, March.
    8. Mikel AGIRRE-MASKARIANO, 2019. "Resisting Against Speculative Urban Regeneration In The Shrinking City Of Ferrol," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 14(1), pages 5-29, February.
    9. Gülçin Erdi Lelandais, 2014. "Space and Identity in Resistance against Neoliberal Urban Planning in Turkey," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1785-1806, September.
    10. Elif Kısar Koramaz, 2014. "The Spatial Context of Social Integration," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 119(1), pages 49-71, October.
    11. Musharraf Cyan & Michael Price & Mark Rider, 2017. "Peshawar Uplift: The Effect of Urban Development on Citizens’ Perceptions," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1709, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    12. Sinan Erensü & Ozan Karaman, 2017. "The Work of a Few Trees: Gezi, Politics and Space," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 19-36, January.
    13. Markus Hanisch & Tuba Inal-Çekiç, 2014. "Cooperative Response to Urban Transformation: Lessons from Istanbul," ERSA conference papers ersa14p228, European Regional Science Association.
    14. Peter Aning Tedong & Jill L. Grant & Wan Nor Azriyati Wan Abd Aziz, 2015. "Governing Enclosure: The Role of Governance in Producing Gated Communities and Guarded Neighborhoods in Malaysia," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 112-128, January.
    15. Florian Koch & Sigrun Kabisch & Kerstin Krellenberg, 2017. "A Transformative Turn towards Sustainability in the Context of Urban-Related Studies? A Systematic Review from 1957 to 2016," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.

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