The role of the state in the commodification of urban space: The case of branded housing projects, Istanbul

Abstract

Globally, cities have been experiencing neoliberal urbanization processes since the 1970s, while also contributing to the production of the neoliberal condition per se. The neoliberal state plays a core role in such processes, which have deepened the commodification of urban space via various mechanisms such as the privatization of public land and key urban infrastructure. This article critically investigates the direct involvement of the neoliberal state in the commodification of urban space by focusing on its triple role as a restructuring mechanism, a land developer and a volume housing developer in Turkey. The research develops and applies a theoretical framework based on Lefebvre’s production of space and Gramsci’s theory of hegemony. The paper examines the development of branded housing projects, which are private neighbourhoods, by analysing national legislative and organizational changes leading to the production of this type of development and illustrates this using four example projects in Istanbul. The paper contributes to the international evidence of the variegated characteristics of the neoliberal state in relation to urban development, and the neoliberal state’s role in the accumulation of capital in contemporary capitalism.

Urban Politics of Human Rights

“…These laws not only formed the basis for many urban regeneration/renovation/transformation projects, but also, almost always resulted in the displacement of the urban poor. The Turkish state played two roles in the increasing capital accumulation through urban development: (i) the state regulated land use planning laws and regulations and also designating resources and (ii) it was the body actually constructing the developments and developing the land (Serin et al, 2020).…”

Global Authoritarianism

“…In the last 30 years, the neoliberal urban policies implemented in Turkey and in Brazil have not only increased their policies of land grab and speculation, but also dispossession by capital accumulation (Serin et al 2020;Rolnik 2015;and Aalbers 2020). This situation has led to many massive urban regeneration and redevelopment projects, and brutal processes of eviction.…”

“…However, it was the 2001 economic crisis that significantly increased neoliberalization as a whole. The economic crisis of 2001 was the biggest one in the history of the republic and Turkey responded to this crisis with widespread neoliberalization, including a significant increase in the real estate sector and privatization (Serin et al 2020). In the case of Istanbul, this resulted in opening up many state-owned and other forms of land to development through various changes and additions in urban laws and regulations.…”

“…In the case of Istanbul, this resulted in opening up many state-owned and other forms of land to development through various changes and additions in urban laws and regulations. The Turkish state played two roles in the increasing capital accumulation through urban development: firstly, the national state was the one regulating land use, planning laws, and regulations, and also designating resources; and secondly, it was the body actually constructing the developments and developing the land (Serin et al 2020).…”

Buying citizenship: A boon to district-level house prices in Istanbul

“…3 See Erguven (2020) and Yesilbag (2020) for an extensive analysis of the financialization of housing in Turkey and Serin et al (2020) for the role of the state acting as a regulatory mechanism, a land developer, and a house builder in the commodification of urban space in Istanbul. Also, see Mavelli (2018) for a discussion of the relationship between citizenship by investment and neoliberal political economy.…”