Turkey's Urbanization Within the Context of the Global South/North Divide: Continuities and Differences

Abstract : The article aims to analyze Turkey’s urbanization within the Global South and North continuum through four factors, namely “demographics, economic development, migration, and the production of the built environment”, as outlined by Randolph and Storper (2023). Turkey’s urbanization demonstrates both similarities, such as its informal settlements and their production, and differences, such as being rather early in completing its demographic transition, from the Global South. Moreover, “urbanization without growth” does not directly represent Turkey, and Turkey lacks a colonial history. Our analysis reveals a hybrid pattern in the urbanization process. However, particularly since the 2000s, Turkey’s urbanization has progressively aligned with the Global North due to its deindustrialization and neoliberal shift. The trajectory of Turkey’s urbanization presents a complex interplay between authoritarian state intervention and limited market dynamics. “Speculative urbanism” and a polity organized around increasing the share of urban rents are fundamental characteristics of this urbanization. The aggressive push for speculative urbanization reflects an overarching strategy to sustain economic growth, leading to sharp urban inequalities along with displacement and escalating ecological damages. More comparative urban research would elucidate significant disparities within the South, facilitating ongoing scrutiny of the Global South and Global North as analytical categories.