Paper short abstract:

Recent heritagization processes in Istanbul create various reactions from city dwellers, ranging from severe protests to unhesitant collaboration. The paper will explore the diverse forms of residents’ participation in the city’s revitalization through heritage.

Paper long abstract:

In the last decade, the Turkish government has actively used the heritagization of cities for tourism and cultural consumption. As the country's cultural and economic center, Istanbul is a special focus in the approach to revitalize the city through heritage. The heritagization of certain areas stimulates fundamental changes in the urban fabric, including the demolition of vernacular architecture and the displacement of former residents. With historical reconstructions, such as the Ottoman military barracks in Gezi Park or gated community projects in historical appearance, heritage tourism and urban development are combined to promote Istanbul as a global metropolis. However, city dwellers challenge this approach in several ways. The Gezi Protests in summer 2013 are only one example of how citizens confront the government's plans to reconstruct 'heritage'. Already before (and after) these internationally recognized protests, city dwellers actively engaged in discourses on the heritagization of historic neighbourhoods. While some criticized the processes, others were collaborating in the hope of participating in the heritage tourism service sector.

In the paper I will reflect on the diverse forms of city dwellers' participation in Istanbul's heritagization processes. Focusing on the Gezi Protests, but also on the reconstructions of historic neighbourhoods, the presentation will shed light on the dwellers' motivations to challenge and/or support the government's regeneration strategies.