Urbanism Program

The Urbanism Program examines Türkiye’s urban development and the dynamics affecting this process in depth. It focuses on current and critical issues such as urban planning, local governments, sustainability, social justice, climate change, resilience, the right to the city and smart cities. The transformations and challenges in these fields in Türkiye’s rapidly growing cities constitute the main areas of study of the program.

The aim of the program is to analyze the problems that arise in Türkiye’s urbanization process and to share these studies with urban planners, local governments, policy makers and the public. The primary goals of the program are to increase the resilience of cities, especially against climate change and natural disasters, to defend citizens’ right to the city and to encourage smart city applications.

The program organizes field studies, scientific publications, workshops, panels and conferences based on producing independent and community-oriented ideas. It aims to increase social participation, cooperate with local and national actors and strengthen resilience against climate change in order to build sustainable future of cities.

Sivil ve Milli Direnişin Sembollerinden Yörük Ali Efe’nin Aziz Hatırasına
In Memory of Yörük Ali Efe, One of the Symbols of Civil and National Resistance
Today marks exactly 74 years since September 23, 1951. For me, this date is not merely an anniversary of death; it is also the revival of a family memory sustained across generations.
Türk İnsanı İçin Post-Modern Bir Labirent Değişen Demografi, Küçülen Mekân ve Yankı Odaları
Post-Modern Labyrinth for the Turkish Individual: Changing Demographics, Shrinking Space and Echo Chambers
The contemporary world bears the traces of a period in which traditional sociological structures have unraveled, leaving the individual to contend with a chronic sense of insecurity.
Güvensiz Kentler, Cezasiz Failler Şiddet, Cezasizlik ve Ataerkil Hiyerarşi
Unsafe Cities, Unpunished Perpetrators: Violence, Impunity, and Patriarchal Hierarchy
I may be, or you may be, just one of the millions of women who cannot help but look over their shoulders while walking down the street at night; who, upon getting into a taxi, text friends and share the...
Adsız tasarım - 1
“The Sound of the Fire Engine in My Ears…”: In Türkiye, It’s Not Just Fires Burning—It’s the Public Service System
The sound of the fire engine lingers in my ears… I’m in Eskişehir. The piercing sirens blend into the howling of the wind. Another plume of smoke rises from the heart of Anatolia.
Kent Bilgi Sistemleri
The Key to an Earthquake-Resilient City: Urban Information Systems
April 23, 2025. Time: 12:49 PM. Istanbul was once again shaken by great fear. The 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Silivri was felt strongly on both the European and Asian sides of...
Kenti Anlayanlar Kazanıyor
Those Who Understand Cities, Succeed
Chicago School of Sociology representative Robert E. Park describes urban society as a mosaic of little worlds which touch but do not penetrate.
Konteyner Kentte Yaşam ve Zorluklar
Life in Container Cities and the Struggles: The Fight of Women with Children
The two devastating earthquakes that struck southeastern Türkiye on February 6, 2023, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, showed us how natural events can turn into catastrophic disasters.
Krizde Koordinasyonun Kayıp Saatleri
Lost Hours of Coordination in Crisis: The First 72 Hours of Earthquakes
Türkiye is a country that frequently faces natural disasters and especially earthquakes. This geographical reality necessitates Türkiye to continuously review and improve its disaster management syste...