Urban Regeneration and Hegemonic Power Relationships

A powerful urban coalition, dominated by central and local government actors, state institutions, and private-sector entities, has emerged in Turkey since the 2000s, driving neo-liberal urban transformation policies aimed at maximizing land rents and real-estate development. This coalition's influence, bolstered by legal changes and institutional initiatives like those of the Mass Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), has reshaped Istanbul's socio-spatial structure, prioritizing areas with high rent-gaining potential while exerting pressure on squatter housing and historic urban centers inhabited by the urban poor. The study reveals how this hegemonic discourse, supported by developers, landowners, and media, has steered Istanbul toward a vision of international finance, service, and tourism, illustrating broader trends in economic and political spheres.

Türkün, A. (2011). Urban Regeneration and Hegemonic Power Relationships. International Planning Studies, 16(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2011.552473