Statü, Gündelik Hayat ve Yaşam Tarzı Arayışlarında Kentsel Ayrışma: Kayseri'de İki Mahallenin Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

This study examines the problem of urban segregation, which is a simultaneous phenomenon of the growth and development process of cities, through a comparative evaluation of two neighborhoods in Kayseri province, Mevlana and Erenköy neighborhoods, which are close in physical space but distant in social space. The first of the compared neighborhoods exhibits a vertical architectural example characterized by fifteen-story apartment buildings, while the second presents a strong representation of horizontal architecture with detached villa complexes. In the study, the problem of urban segregation is examined by taking into account the structural conditions of the neighborhoods such as housing, transportation, common areas, recreational areas, public living spaces, as well as the social and cultural habits, socio-economic levels, education levels, working conditions, occupational statuses, and gender of the neighborhood residents, and how they interact and influence each other in the neighborhoods and situations where they are encountered. In this context, the basic assumption on which the study is based is that by analyzing the combination of the structural conditions of the neighborhoods with the social characteristics of the residents, the study can develop a new understanding and comprehension of everyday life habits, social interaction patterns, and tendencies for urban participation regarding urban segregation. Based on this assumption, the study examines neighborhoods representing two different forms of urban segregation through intra-case and inter-case comparisons, and this comparison is conducted along three lines of inquiry: (i) the influence of the structural conditions of the neighborhood, such as common use areas (transportation and walking paths, recreational areas such as green spaces, social facilities), housing characteristics, and municipal services, on the daily life routines of neighborhood residents; (ii) the impact of socio-spatial relationships established by neighborhood residents on status group formation and lifestyle pursuits within the neighborhood; and (iii) the similarities or differences in the political participation styles and forms of neighborhood residents, and the reasons or factors that cause these differences and similarities. The most general conclusion drawn from these comparisons is that urban segregation can be indicated as a problem in terms of its existence, but it is a specific problem with its own unique content and form belonging to a particular neighborhood and context, in terms of which factors influence it and what specific nature and form it exactly has.