Türkiye'de Kentsel Çöküntü Bölgelerinin Oluşumu: Ankara-Kurtuluş Örneği

Abstract

From the late 19th century onward, technological, economic, social, and political changes have influenced cities worldwide in various ways and continue to do so. Particularly with the prominence of neoliberal policies on national agendas, significant transformations have occurred in the concept of space. In Turkey, cities, which have been influenced differently by historical developments compared to other regions, have also witnessed changes in the meaning and function of the concept of space over time. In the central areas of big cities, urban decay areas have emerged for various reasons. This thesis aims to reveal how the concept of 'urban decay areas' differs from and resembles Western definitions, supported by field research data. The thesis is not limited solely to field research data; it also discusses Western theories concerning slum formation. Within the scope of the thesis, the formation process of urban decay areas in Turkey is examined. The primary objective of the thesis is to understand how and through what processes inner-city decay areas in Turkey are formed, to analyze the role of public policies in this process, and to discuss whether there is an alternative to the "demolish-and-rebuild" approach for the rehabilitation of decay areas. The thesis concludes that it would be inappropriate to develop policies for neighborhoods like Kurtuluş—located in city centers, experiencing negative social fabric changes, legally zoned but dilapidated due to neglect—by using Western examples as a guide.