Reinhard Stewig Livres

Istanbul, a megacity with over 12 million residents, boasts a continuous history spanning more than 2600 years. This publication emphasizes the human aspect of its population and the social dynamics shaping citizens' lives. It explores the growth of the population, the influx of modern in-migrants, and the establishment of shanty towns by poorer migrants. It highlights their journey from lower-class status to middle-class citizens, alongside the expansion of manufacturing and services that have positioned Istanbul as Turkey's commercial capital, increasing urban incomes and fostering a new upper class. The text also addresses the social polarization resulting from financial liberalization and globalization. Significant transformations are noted, such as the shift from illiterate migrants to educated, politically engaged voters, and from traditional bazaar economies to consumerism in American-style malls. Additionally, it discusses the transition from pedestrian lifestyles to reliance on new transportation systems. Demographic changes, including variations in birth and death rates and the evolution from extended to nuclear family structures, reflect Istanbul's transformation from a pre-industrial society in the early 19th century to a modern industrialized urban environment today.

In the year 2010 the city of Istanbul had been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture. The award is challenged in this publication. Besides European, Asiatic, Oriental and Cosmopolitan traits are characteristic for Istanbul: the remnants of the Christian-European Byzantine past, the Turkish language of the inhabitants and their Central Asian origin, Islam as the dominating Oriental religion and cosmopolitanism, the influence of westernization. In the scientific field the question has been raised, if Istanbul is a World City. In the course of its very long history Istanbul has attained three times the status of World City: as the political, economic and cultural capital of the Byzantine Empire, as the political, economic and cultural capital of the Ottoman Empire and – through the impact of the new Turkish economic policy since the 1980s – as the economic and cultural, but not political capital of Turkey with global connections. Istanbul’s identity is today marked as a crossroads World City on the level of developed industrial society.

The exchange of commodities is a fundamental economic activity for community members. Throughout human evolution, exchange methods have evolved from bartering among hunters and gatherers to sophisticated systems involving money and modern shopping centers in industrialized societies. This publication explores Istanbul's long history as a merchandising hub, beginning with traditional Oriental bazaars. The city's commercial development saw two waves of innovation: the first in the 19th century with department stores and shopping arcades, followed by the emergence of modern shopping centers since 1988. Each retail agglomeration introduced competition, highlighting the contemporary issue of globalization and the tension between old and new structures. The Turkish term for shopping center encompasses various types that have emerged since 1988, including American-style malls with pedestrian walkways, large hypermarkets like Migros and Carrefour, and specialized centers such as Media Markt and Ikea. The transition from bazaars to shopping centers represents a significant economic and social phenomenon. While many historical buildings and covered bazaar streets remain in Istanbul, their original functions—production, selling, and financial transactions—have shifted to modern banks and skyscrapers in the city's commercial centers.

Bursa, am Fuße des höchsten Berges Nordwest-Anatoliens und nahe dem Marmara-Meer, zählt heute zwei Millionen Einwohner und vereint auf einzigartige Weise Kultur und Industrie. Historisch war die Stadt die erste Hauptstadt des Osmanischen Reiches (1326) und beherbergt die Grabstätten der ersten sechs osmanischen Sultane. Ihr traditionell-islamischer Basarbereich prägt das kulturelle Erbe. Gleichzeitig ist Bursa ein bedeutendes Zentrum der türkischen Textil- und Automobilindustrie, die zur wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung der Türkei beiträgt. Die Wurzeln der Textilindustrie reichen bis ins 19. Jahrhundert zurück, während Fiat, Renault und Bosch die Automobilindustrie etablierten. Die moderne Stadtplanung fördert eine harmonische Verbindung von Kultur in der historischen Altstadt und Industrie in dezentralen Parks. Im Gegensatz zu vielen Millionenstädten in außereuropäischen Ländern, die oft mit Slums assoziiert werden, zeigt Bursa eine fortschrittliche Mittelschicht und modernen Wohnungsbau nach der Überwindung unkontrollierter Zuwanderung. Der infrastrukturelle Ausbau, einschließlich Verkehrserschließung und Einkaufszentren, entspricht den Standards moderner Millionenstädte. Diese Darstellung basiert auf vier Forschungsprojekten, die seit 1967 in Bursa durchgeführt wurden.