 |
|
- Neoliberal Urbanism and Sustainability of cultural Heritage  834 kb | by Gunay, Zeynep | gunayz@itu.edu.tr  |
 |
| Short Outline |
| The paper examines the dynamics of historic cities to be a model for sustainable cities within the context of neoliberal urbanism. The experiences of three Turkish cities are highlighted as empirical evidence by using strategic impact assessment. |
|
| Abstract |
The focus of the paper is neoliberal urbanism and its impact on the sustainability of cultural heritage. Todays cities are categorized under popularity leagues; and cultural heritage, exploiting the distinctiveness of the cities, is the most profitable and powerful instrument for city governments in regeneration to acquire a competitive advantage in a world marked by globalisation. New urban policies that are structured through neoliberalism as a new governance mode of globalisation necessitate the use of cultural heritage as a tool to respond to the rapidly changing socio-economic conditions of the new economic order. This necessity has two dimensions that while cultural heritage is used as a tool for economic development; the acquired development, in turn, should ensure the sustainability and continuity of cultural heritage. It is evident that the promotion of cultural heritage has a key role in sustainability strategies that aim to respond to social and cultural needs, to resolve conflicts and to fulfil economic objectives through long-term visions. However as in Turkey, the attempts to remove the obstacles fronting growing global cities can also have deteriorating effects on their cultural heritage and on the societies that have become part of this heritage.
Bearing in mind these fundamentals, the paper aims to examine the dynamics of historic cities to be a model for sustainable cities within the context of neoliberal urbanism. It explores the ways in which different neoliberal urban politics shape present debates over cultural heritage. Comparatively, it traces the workings of cultural heritage conservation politics in the attempts of adjusting to the global economy. In addition, it examines the diverse impacts of these politics on the provision of sustainable historic cities by using strategic impact assessment. Strategic impact assessment is chosen to be the most effective assessment analysis methodology for integrating quantitative and qualitative research findings which is necessary in context specific issues such as cultural heritage. The experiences of three historical Turkish cities -Safranbolu, Beypazarę and Cumalękęzęk- are highlighted as empirical evidence. The cities are chosen for the fact that each of them provides a unique conservation-led regeneration example in balancing change and continuity with development policies. The data required for the assessment is collected through documentary research, questionnaires and semi-structured open-ended interviews. As a result, future challenges and key precautions are spelled out in a way to construct a management toolkit for sustainable conservation in conservation-led regeneration policies and practices.
|
|
| Keywords |
| Neoliberal urbanism; sustainability; cultural heritage; conservation-led regeneration |
|
|
Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2008: Urban Growth without Sprawl
|
|
Click to open the full paper as pdf document
|
|
Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper
|
|