Urban waterfront regeneration started in the 1960s in the US, spread widely during the 1970s and 1980s throughout North America; in the following decades, it became a key factor in inner city redevelopment in Europe (Jauhiainen 1995). It reflects efforts in various cities around the world to transform the de-industrialized, derelict urban spaces of late-twentieth-century capitalism in such a way that these respond to the newly rising demands of the global economy and, thus, once again emerge as attractive sites for different groups (Merrifield 1993, Feldman 2000). In physical terms, urban waterfront regeneration often involves a transition from former centers of industrial production, with warehouses and manufacturing establishments, to places with promenades, shopping complexes, luxurious residences, gentrified neighborhoods, office towers, and the like.
In this respect, urban waterfront regeneration can be situated within the broader theoretical framework that focuses on multiple processes of globalization and its impact on the urban space. More specifically, this phenomenon can be examined within a context of growing intercity competition, of intense efforts to market cities and push them up in the global urban hierarchy. Hence, the very same analytical lenses used for the examination of efforts to host mega-events (e.g. Gotham 2002, Carmichael 2002, Owen 2002), promote urban tourism (e.g. Mullins 1991, Whitson and Macintosh 1996, Law 2002), or create various urban imaging strategies (Chang 1999, Waitt 1999) and the like can be employed to elucidate the case of urban waterfront regeneration as well. What makes the latter special and also perhaps explains the reason why a large segment of the relevant literature focuses on this subject has to do with the fact that, first, due to previous port-related and industrial activity, the process of de-industrialization often has its most visible impact in these areas (Marshall 2001); and, second, due to their proximity to water and often also to historic city centers, these locations are especially suitable to satisfy the newly rising demands of global capital and its managerial elite.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Macro-Level Theory: Global Restructuring and the Urban Space
Macro-level Theory: The Politics of Urban Regeneration
The Literature’s Evolution over Time
The Politics of Urban Regeneration
The Politics of Urban Regeneration: Diverse Settings, Diverse Actors
Chapter Two
Urban Regeneration in the Advanced Industrialized Countries
Public-private Partnerships and Flagship Projects
The Local and the Global In the Conceptualization of Urban Governance
Chapter Three
Urban Change in Post-Socialist Cities
The Socialist Legacy of Urban Development in Eastern Europe
Socio-Economic Transformations in the Baltic States
Chapter Four
Tourism and the Postwar American City
Urban Decline and the Search for Solutions in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis After 1945
Chapter Five
Istanbul in Historical Context
Diverse Settings, Diverse Actors: The Turkish Context
Public Sector Actors and Entrepreneurial Activity
Private Sector Actors and Urban Entrepreneurialism
Community Involvement in Urban Land Development: Prospects of Democratic Participation
Chapter Six
Globalisation and Regeneration Management
Mapping The Territory
Scale and Context—Their Relationship to Place and History
Local Management and Local Administration: Challenge and Conflict
Local Regeneration Management and Local Governance: the Drive for Partnership and Collaboration
Regeneration, Globalisation and the idea of the Failed Neighborhood.
Chapter Seven
The Golden Horn in Transition: from a Space of Industrial Production to a Space of Cultural Consumption?
Chapter Eight
The Halic Area: an Analytical Evaluation
Different Projects, Different Dynamics of Power
Public Sector Initiatives: Community Involvement Through District Municipalities
Public Sector Initiatives: The Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul Between the Local and the Global
Private Sector Initiatives along the Golden Horn
The General Picture
Other Projects in the Haliç Area
General Conclusions and Comparisons
Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the intersection of global economic restructuring and urban regeneration, focusing on how power dynamics and local governance influence the transformation of urban spaces. The core research question addresses how diverse actors—public institutions, private entities, and local communities—interact to shape the redevelopment of inner-city areas, specifically examining the transition from industrial production sites to spaces of cultural consumption in the context of global intercity competition.
- Macro-level theories of global economic restructuring and their impact on urban landscapes.
- Comparative analysis of urban governance and regeneration politics across the US, Europe, and Turkey.
- The emergence of public-private partnerships and flagship projects as tools for urban revitalization.
- Specific case studies of waterfront regeneration in post-socialist and Western contexts, with a detailed focus on Istanbul's Haliç area.
- The influence of political discourse, democratic participation, and local power structures on urban development outcomes.
Excerpt from the book
Macro-Level Theory: Global Restructuring and the Urban Space
The last quarter of the twentieth century has exhibited great change in almost every aspect of life. Even though the key characteristics, dimensions and future prospects of this change and the question as to whether or not it signifies a total break with the past remain central areas of dispute (Held et al. 1999: 3-10), there seems to be a consensus on the existence of major transformations in the organization of society (Amin 1994: 1, 2).
The concept of “globalization” has become the most common term referring to these changes. Somewhat crudely put, globalization has been defined as a multi-dimensional process, drawing attention to the increasing global interconnectedness in economic, technological, cultural, political, environmental and other aspects of life (Nash 2000: 47).
This section aims to present an analysis of this transition’s major impacts on urban space. For this purpose, I will begin with a brief summary of the main characteristics of these changes and continue with an account of how they have shaped cities. Among the multiple dimensions of globalization, the economic aspect has often been at the center of sociological interest (Nash 2000: 48). The argument goes that latetwentieth-century capitalism is undergoing a process of global restructuring, which redefines capital, labor and state relationships (Castells and Henderson 1987: 1, Harvey 1989: 121).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Summarizes the rise of urban waterfront regeneration since the 1960s as a response to de-industrialization and the demands of the global economy, setting the theoretical stage for the book.
Chapter One: Explores the macro-level theories of globalization and global restructuring, detailing how the shift from Fordist production to flexible accumulation transformed urban spaces and governance.
Chapter Two: Examines urban regeneration in advanced industrialized countries, focusing on the mechanisms of public-private partnerships and the role of flagship projects in global urban governance.
Chapter Three: Analyzes urban change in post-socialist cities, critiquing the simplistic "transition" narrative and investigating the socialist legacy in urban planning in Eastern Europe.
Chapter Four: Investigates the rise of tourism in the postwar American city, using case studies like Cincinnati to illustrate the shift from manufacturing hubs to tourism-oriented centers.
Chapter Five: Provides a historical context for Istanbul and analyzes the specific power dynamics of various public and private sector actors in the Turkish context of urban regeneration.
Chapter Six: Discusses globalization and regeneration management, reflecting on the shared discourse of urban transformation and the "failed" neighborhood narrative.
Chapter Seven: Specifically investigates the Golden Horn (Haliç) in Istanbul, detailing its historical transition from industrial production to a target for cultural consumption projects.
Chapter Eight: Offers an analytical evaluation of the Haliç area, categorizing projects by the specific power dynamics involved and evaluating the results of these initiatives.
Keywords
Urban regeneration, globalization, urban governance, public-private partnerships, de-industrialization, Haliç, Istanbul, post-socialist cities, flagship projects, urban politics, gentrification, national bourgeoisie, urban entrepreneurialism, local power dynamics, waterfront redevelopment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The book focuses on the political economy of urban regeneration, analyzing how global economic forces interact with local governance and power structures to shape the transformation of post-industrial waterfronts.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include global restructuring, the shift to "urban entrepreneurialism," the role of public-private partnerships, the influence of local political and social dynamics, and the specific challenges of redeveloping post-industrial city areas.
What is the main objective or research question?
The research explores how and why cities engage in large-scale regeneration projects and examines the power constellations that determine which stakeholders benefit from these transformations.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work utilizes a combination of theoretical literature review, empirical case studies, and field research, including interviews with key actors, to provide a comparative analysis of urban development trajectories.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers a transition from macro-level globalization theories to specific regional case studies, including North American examples, European urban trends, post-socialist transformations, and a deep, multi-chapter dive into Istanbul’s Haliç area.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The research is best characterized by terms such as urban regeneration, global cities, urban governance, public-private partnerships, and the political economy of urban space.
How does the Haliç area in Istanbul fit into the broader context?
The Haliç area serves as a primary case study to demonstrate that urban transformation is not a uniform process but is heavily contingent upon specific local variables such as fiscal dependency, local political ideology, and the strength of the private sector.
What is the author's conclusion regarding "successful" regeneration?
The author concludes that "success" in urban regeneration is often subjective and that many projects marketed as urban rebirths fail to address underlying social problems, serving instead to prioritize elite-driven economic interests over the needs of the broader community.
- Quote paper
- Alireza Jafari (Author), Fatemeh Heidari (Author), 2017, Urban Management Studies in the Urban Regeneration Context, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/374641
