Policy and Planning in the Age of Mobilities: Refugees and Urban Planning in Turkey

Abstract

This chapter discusses the challenges posed by Syrian refugee problem (a multifaceted “mobility” problem especially hitting metropolitan cities) on urban planning practices and discourses in Turkey. Here, we portray the refugee problem as a multiscalar one, where international, national and local authorities meet the challenge in different ways. The multiscalar lens allows us to detect how various problem areas (security, sheltering, etc.) have become intertwined and concentrated on urban areas after refugee influx. In that regard, first we depict the role of “urban planning” in “governance of (refugee) mobility” in neoliberal era. Secondly, we briefly touch upon the historical association between the mobility patterns and urbanization in Turkey since 1923 to detect how public authorities (at different scales of governing) reacted to these mobilities. This historical analysis helps us locate the Syrian refugee problem into its proper context as an urban planning problem (not simply as an IR or security problem). Lastly, we discuss Syrian Refugee Crisis’ challenges on urban areas and planning practices in Turkey by referring to its international, national and local governance. We conclude by summing up the key empirical and theoretical lessons drawn while also introducing analytical questions about the future direction of research.