New City Paradigm

The development of urban administrations, especially in metropolitan areas, in Turkey and worldwide over the last 30 years has been shaped by a new international approach and model. New right-wing economic policies are leading to the emergence of metropolitan area administrations that are compatible with the global order. Changes are also occurring in the policy-making and service delivery approaches of metropolitan municipalities responsible for the administration of metropolitan areas. This model, known globally as "new urban policies," finds its counterpart in Turkey as the "entrepreneurial city."

This book, titled "The New Urban Paradigm," appears to be based on the thesis that significant changes have been made in the nature of the metropolitan area administration system in Turkey, with metropolitan municipalities acting more like market-oriented actors and evolving in a different direction, rather than being units providing public services. Meanwhile, among the book's important findings is that despite the new urban model being applied in Turkey showing parallels with global developments and practices, it has re-transformed within its own dynamics.

The book authoritatively examines how the new urban approach and, consequently, new urban policies have transformed the metropolitan municipal system and urban policies implemented in Turkey. In this context, it first explains the state crisis that led to the emergence of the new urban approach, followed by the new urban policies and new urban governance theories that emerged after this crisis. Within this framework, consistent with the book's aim, it is concluded that the new urban approach has affected urban policies in Turkey from two perspectives: scale and strategy. Accordingly, in addition to theoretical discussions on metropolitan areas, changes implemented in metropolitan municipalities in Turkey through local government reforms are addressed from their administrative and financial dimensions. Furthermore, urban entrepreneurship strategies aimed at attracting capital to cities are discussed, replacing urban policies based on comprehensive planning; it is concluded that urban policies in Turkey have transformed around the core characteristics of the new urban approach, but in this transformation process, the inherent dynamics of urban development have led to deviations from the general line of the approach at certain points.

This book, "The New Urban Paradigm," will undoubtedly be a very important reference for academics, students, administrators, and politicians, and will make a significant contribution to our field of expertise.

Can Giray Özgül, the young and esteemed faculty member of Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences, our student during his doctoral studies, and now a valuable colleague with whom we share the same department, of whom we have always been proud, proves with this book how right we are to be proud of him.

Prof. Dr. Ruşen Keleş

Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Mengi