ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 introduces three subjects germane to the book: informal settlements generally, Turkish informal settlements in particular and the two neighborhoods studied for the book– Karanfilköy and Fatih Sultan Mehmet. In particular, the broad range of scholarship on informal settlements (aka, squatter settlements) and Istanbul informal settlements (gecekondu) is summarized with an intention of providing a necessary background understanding for this book. Additionally, the neighborhoods’ historical, modern, political and social contexts within Istanbul are concisely summarized, including a brief discussion of the recent and current neo-liberal redevelopment pressures facing these neighborhoods. Chapter 1 also introduces the justification and significance of investigating Istanbul’s informal settlements.
