Unveiling Invisibles: Embodied Cartographies of a Lived Space – Counter Mapping As Situated Spatial Inquiry

Date

2025-8-27

Author

Tepekaya Pulat, Elif Gökçen

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This doctoral research examines the “invisibles” in urban lived space — elements of the city that remain hidden, overlooked, or erased in official representations. Using Üsküdar, a historically layered district of Istanbul, as a case study, the thesis explores how embodied experience and counter-mapping can reveal these unseen dimensions. The conceptual framework draws on critical urban theory, feminist-situated epistemology, and critical cartography. “Invisibles” are treated as both the object of study and an analytic lens, integrating theory and method. The study employs a methodology that combines narrative inquiry, embodied fieldwork (on-site observations and oral histories), and creative mapping techniques. Instead of a separate methodology chapter, the research interweaves these methods into a narrative that highlights marginalized stories and spatial practices. Through this situated approach, the thesis uncovers multiple layers of invisibility in Üsküdar — such as hidden infrastructures, suppressed historical memories, and informal social networks — making them visible through “embodied cartographies” (maps reflecting lived experiences). The findings demonstrate how power and dominant narratives shape what is visible in urban space and how counter-mapping can challenge this by bringing alternative narratives to the forefront. Ultimately, the thesis contributes to architectural and urban knowledge by proposing a new approach to place that acknowledges and visualizes invisible spatial dimensions. It also offers a novel integration of storytelling and mapping, underlining the importance of partial and situated perspectives in understanding and designing urban environments. These insights suggest implications for more inclusive urban design and planning practices that recognize unseen layers.

Subject Keywords

Urban invisibility, Lived space, Embodied cartography, Countermapping, Üsküdar (Istanbul)

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/116163

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis