Unravelling the studentification process: a case study of İşçi Blokları neighborhood

Date

2023-9-11

Author

Çağla, Hansu

Metadata

Show full item record

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Item Usage Stats

292
views

479
downloads

Cite This

Gentrification can be defined as the transformation of a neighborhood, where an influx of affluent residents and businesses reshapes the social and economic fabric of an area. Gentrification embodies both promise and concern, as it can rejuvenate communities while also raising issues of displacement and erasure of long-term local identities. While gentrification discussions continued rapidly after the millennium, studentification was articulated in these discussions as a new concept. This master's thesis examines how the studentification process in İşçi Blokları Neighborhood began and its multiple sequential processes of change. Studentification is a multifaceted phenomenon that includes the transformation of residential areas in a particular area depending on the influx of students. This research aims to reveal the underlying reasons, key actors, results and future expectations of studentification in the selected neighborhood. Higher education institutions have had many social, economic and physical impacts on the city. One result of these effects is studentification processes, which is explored in this thesis. Various research methodologies have been used to reach a comprehensive understanding. These include a questionnaire targeting students and semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders such as long-term residents, real estate agents and local businesses. Additionally, in-depth interviews with the local authority (mukhtar) provided insights into the historical context and dynamics of the neighborhood. In this research, qualitative methods such as snowball effect and descriptive research analysis were applied. Observations and first-hand experiences were also integrated into the research. Quantitative contribution was provided by the analysis of the survey results and the creation of the relevant tables. In accordance with the dynamics acquired from most prior studies conducted in plethora of cities across the world, the compatibility with the current findings of the neighborhood was examined and the existence of the studentification process in the neighborhood was confirmed. However, this research makes a unique contribution to the literature by emphasizing the important roles of the mukhtar, the historical structure of the neighborhood, the contributions of the university, the effects of real estate agents and landlords on the studentification process. This study provides information that can inform future urban development strategies and promote sustainable coexistence between students and long-term residents in İşçi Blokları Neighborhood.

Subject Keywords

Gentrification, Universities, Studentification, İşçi Blokları neighborhood

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/105517

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis