The Commons (part II)
Right to The City
A new concept emerges after the May’68 protests: RIGHT TO THE CITY. This term is firstly introduced by Henry Lefebvre. According to him; what makes us belong to our cities is not our property or wealth, it is our contributions to the places. Also He continues that when deciding on a city, that city’s dwellers should be in the focus and should not be subjected to any restrictions about the use of these spaces. We agree with this recommendation. Because each individual shapes his environment while changing himself. Thus, the places we live in reflect our own truths and norms. In such a situation, letting people make decisions about our own cities without our contributions is no different than letting people freely change our personalities.
Unfortunately today, in many parts of the world, only politically and economically elite groups have a say on the right to the city. For example, the current state of the coastal part of Istanbul is occupied by countless unequal and discriminatory attitudes. These coastal areas are privatized in some way and then equipped with private property. Subsequently these settlements prevent people from enjoying something accessible to everyone.
Also in the name of urban renewal, many places are getting destroyed before we even do not know. As a result of these rapidly grown construction activities, vacant house stock is increasing every single day. But ironically to this issue, number of the people who are in need of shelter is also rising.
Are We Living in a Museum?
There are several other examples of injustice about the city rights. If we keep ignoring them, the results will become much more dramatic than they are in today. The right to the city is a crucial issue for the citizens. Because the more we contribute to our cities, the more they become a part of us. Otherwise, it becomes alien to us with its buildings and places. And then the city cannot go beyond being an exhibition or a museum because it has become practically inaccessible to us.
by Hümeyra Yeşilyurt and Asude Erdoğmuş
References;
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Gidwani, V., & Baviskar, A. (2011). Urban commons. Economic and Political Weekly, 46(50), 42–43.
Gümüş, H. (2019). Bir Müşterekleştirme Deneyimi Olarak Düzce Umut Evleri. Mekanda Adalet ve Müşterekler, 23–30.
Harvey, D. (2008). The right to the city. The City Reader, 6(1), 23–40.
Hess, C. (2008). Mapping the new commons. Available at SSRN 1356835.
Rowe, J. (2002). The promise of the commons. Earth Island Journal, 17(3), 28–30.
Uzunçarşılı Baysal, C. (2019). Kent Hakkından Kentsel Muhalefete Bakmak.
Yükselbaba, Ü. (2008). Habermas’da Kamusal Alan/Özel Alan Ayrımı. (Doctoral dissertation). İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey.
