Rethinking the Impacts of Neoliberal Urban Policies and Practices on Diverse Neighbourhoods The Case of Tarlabaşı Istanbul

In face of contemporary world, with new challenges and complexities driven by globalization, urban policies and practices in many cases lead to social and economic inequalities, social polarization and spatial segregation. This may severely affect social relations, increase social tensions and lead to worse opportunities for individuals and social groups. Policy-makers and urban planners, in theory, develop policies and practices by taking these changes into consideration. However, theory may not coincide with practice in many urban experiences, as in the case of Tarlabaşı. Istanbul has been subjected to a restructuring process in the post-1980s, with neoliberal policies, and an urban transformation agenda put into practice. As part of this wider restructuring project going on in Istanbul, Tarlabaşı renewal process was initiated in 2000s, from then signifying mass demolition of historical buildings and gentrification processes. Major infrastructure and urban renewal projects in the area have neglected the changing social tissue of the neighbourhood resulting from various migration flows, interactions between diverse groups, and relations with surrounding neighbourhoods. The area, already affected from earlier political events that harm its diverse character, and a range of radical planning interventions, has become a deprived neighbourhood, leaving vulnerable groups to further exclusion, poverty and exempt from social and economic protection mechanisms. Therefore, the aim of this study is to put forward how neo-liberal, and ambitious urban policies and planning experiences have negatively affected the nature and diversity in Tarlabaşı