Free Milieus, Creative People: An Investigation of Creative City Policy in Istanbul from the Perspective of Governmentality

Authors : Orhan Hayal

Pages : 91-112

Doi:10.33630/ausbf.1218068

View : 218 | Download : 327

Publication Date : 2025-03-13

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This paper analyzes the creative city policy for Istanbul, which has recently become a popular throughout the world. Cities are expected to be creative milieus that foster free circulation of people, ideas, and interactions for economic growth, global competitiveness, and social development. Drawing on Foucault and governmentality studies, this paper first argues that the creative city policy is a neoliberal political rationality that seeks to stimulate individuals’ creative capacities through structuring urban space. Neoliberalism includes the de-governmentalization of state and the active participation of non-state actors in the governing processes. Second, using examples from street gentrification, industrial heritage re-functioning, and co-working spaces in Istanbul, this paper dissects how creativity, freedom, and economic growth intersect in urban space and how a broad coalition of political parties, state agencies, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, small-scale cultural entrepreneurs, and creative professionals have been formed around the creative city. As a result, creative city policy is a form of governmentality that includes official documents as well as spatial strategies of a heterogeneous coalition of state and non-state actors.
Keywords : Yaratıcı İstanbul, yönetimsellik, neoliberal siyasal rasyonalite, soylulaştırma, ortak-çalışma alanları

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