Attempts to Confront Istanbul

Istanbul is a megapolis that contains many "ordinaries" that will disappoint those who are only after "fairytale" images or those who expect to see a crime den around every corner. In the combination of disconnected textures, the ambition to transform the city and not-so-exotic landscapes; Huge districts formed by immigration, expensive castles built for those who wanted to isolate themselves from "others", neighborhoods that have lost their soul along with non-Muslims, ruins where immigrants on their way to Europe took shelter, historical buildings that no one took care of, and many more...

Essays on Confronting Istanbul, which is a summary of Jean-François Pérouse's works since the mid-1990s, goes beyond the borders of the historical, touristic and stylish districts that take the lead in almost all books written about Istanbul, and covers 95% of the city's surface area and the total population. It focuses on the "peripheries" that include 90% of the population.

Pérouse examines the isolated areas of the city, owned by certain groups, its daily life, its relations with other cities of the world, and the interventions of city residents in urban policies and practices, in the light of detailed field research. What emerges is neither a colorful Eastern tale nor a pitch-black nightmare narrative. The diversity of parts that make up this "gray" reality challenges the eye and mind even more...



Number of Pages: 394

Year of Printing: 2011


Language: Turkish
Publisher: İletişim Publishing

First Print Year: 2011

Language Turkish