The role of the state in the commodification of urban space: The case of branded housing projects, Istanbul

Bilge Serin,Chris Mcwilliams,Harry Smith

doi:10.1177/0969776420920921

Bilge Serin, Chris Mcwilliams + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/0969776420920921

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Abstract

Globally, cities have been experiencing neoliberal urbanization processes since the 1970s, while also contributing to the production of the neoliberal condition per se. The neoliberal state plays a core role in such processes, which have deepened the commodification of urban space via various mechanisms such as the privatization of public land and key urban infrastructure. This article critically investigates the direct involvement of the neoliberal state in the commodification of urban space by focusing on its triple role as a restructuring mechanism, a land developer and a volume housing developer in Turkey. The research develops and applies a theoretical framework based on Lefebvre’s production of space and Gramsci’s theory of hegemony. The paper examines the development of branded housing projects, which are private neighbourhoods, by analysing national legislative and organizational changes leading to the production of this type of development and illustrates this using four example projects in Istanbul. The paper contributes to the international evidence of the variegated characteristics of the neoliberal state in relation to urban development, and the neoliberal state’s role in the accumulation of capital in contemporary capitalism.

Highlights

Since the early 1970s, neoliberalization has become a global phenomenon and assumed hegemonic status as the contemporary phase of capitalist development
This practice demonstrates a clear example of the neoliberal state prioritizing capital accumulation by privatizing these lands, contributing to the commodification of urban space – ‘a state apparatus whose fundamental mission was to facilitate conditions for profitable capital accumulation’ (Harvey, 2007: 7)
Wacquant (2009) shows how it took masses under control though restructuring the incarceration in the USA, while Wright et al (2020) argues how dismantling the welfare state and replacing it with the neoliberal universal credit system create behavioural changes by sanctions targeting the unemployed. These show the core role of the state per se in the neoliberal restructuring processes

Summary

Introduction

The neoliberal restructuring is far from being a product of the so-called laissez-faire. The expansion of the planning remits of TOKI is a key example of this transformation, showing that in the post-2001 period planning authority has been accumulated in the hands of central state institutions (Tasan-Kok and Penpecioglu, 2017) This transformation overall demonstrates the role of political society (Gramsci) in fostering commodification of urban space through restructuring of the legal and regulatory framework in favour of the accumulation of power. All projects led to a significant number of housing units being sold, from 859 in Bizim Evler 4 to 3383 in Agaoglu My World Ataşehir, with large related amounts of capital turnover This practice demonstrates a clear example of the neoliberal state prioritizing capital accumulation by privatizing these lands, contributing to the commodification of urban space – ‘a state apparatus whose fundamental mission was to facilitate conditions for profitable capital accumulation’ (Harvey, 2007: 7). This spatial practice (Lefebvre) demonstrates the embeddedness of this neoliberalization starting from the land development processes to the provision of key services within the project areas

Conclusions

Findings

The terms ‘revenue-sharing projects’ and ‘income