Urban Space and Gentrification in Istanbul in the Twentieth Century

Abstract

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey with respect to population size, the scale of economic activity, and the extent of its hinterland. Parallel to changes in economic dynamics, the city has undergone significant changes in terms of sociospatial structure since the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. This chapter shows that in the twentieth century the dynamics behind residential segregation in Istanbul shifted from being predominantly ethnic in nature to involve issues related to socioeconomic status. Gentrification has been a significant type of transformation, leading to notable forms of residential divide based on socio-economic status. It is argued that gentrification and urban transformation projects realized in the central neighborhoods of the city in recent years tell an insightful story about whether and how Istanbul represents and employs its urban diversity.