Considering My Debt to Istanbul in the Wake of the Elections
“Today’s Turkey is a place where about half of the population is utterly dismayed by the state of affairs, while the other half couldn’t be more thrilled.”
This is Views from the Metropolis, a monthly column by Paul Osterlund on Turkey’s urban transformation due to development, conflict, and migration.
Paul Benjamin Osterlund is a freelance journalist and writer based in Istanbul, Turkey. You can follow him on Twitter at @Paul_Osterlund
More by this author
A Resilient Istanbul Nightlife Despite Sobering Liquor Taxes
An inverse relationship between the price of a drink and Turkey’s stability.
Old and New Turkey Square Off
“Turkey remains a country too complex and rich to split into tired binaries of east/west, secular/religious, and Old/New.”
Altering the Face of Istanbul’s Aesthetic Beauty
The state and the private sector foist unsightliness on an otherwise gorgeous Istanbul.
More in this series
Ghosts and The City
“Gentrification and excessive development are major realities in major global cities, but in Istanbul, they’re on steroids.”
The Modern Reality of Istanbul’s Urban Chaos
Istanbul is a labyrinth of apartment blocks with limited green space for millions of its residents.
Finding Faith Beyond God on the Camino de Santiago
For me, loss of faith was hollowing. Can you believe in miracles without believing in God?