Abstract
Taking Newman’s “Defensible Space Theory into consideration, data presented in this article was collected by the International Strategic Research Organization as part of the four year, 2008 – 2012, Istanbul Urban Safety Project. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the study. Quantitative methods included a large questionnaire survey administered to two samples: households and workplaces; together with analysis of secondary data. The qualitative dimension comprised semi-structured, open-ended interviews with a number of senior officials involved in urban safety in Istanbul. This study argues that the state has abandoned its regulatory role within democratic urban politics; instead taking urbanization measures to further advantage the privileged elites at both a local and national level. Furthermore, it proposes that undemocratic urbanization policies are legitimised mainly on the basis of earthquake anxiety, together with some unsubstantiated issues such as security concerns, criminalization and marginalization.
Highlights
Istanbul has been changing and ‘developing’ via transformative processes which are still continuing and show no sign of ending
In terms of urbanization and urban security in Istanbul, according to the results of qualitative research in this study, people resident in Istanbul with its convenient lifestyle and environmental conditions, do not themselves feel safe, which would seem to be a huge issue for the police alone to handle
This study greatly expands what is known about urbanization, urban regeneration, crime and urban policies in Istanbul
Summary
Istanbul has been changing and ‘developing’ via transformative processes which are still continuing and show no sign of ending. The emergence of a new pattern of spatial segregation is justified by two developments. The first one is fear of earthquakes, with the second one arising from urban insecurity in Istanbul. This pattern of urban governance diverges significantly from Istanbul’s historical experience, and rests upon new urban developments that have explicitly favoured the urban elites, both directly and indirectly. These raise critical questions about the nature of relations between social groups within the city
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