Sustainability and Well-being
The Sustainability and Wellbeing cluster extends from IPC’s Urbanization and Local Governance program, broadening IPC’s focus on urban transformation to include the environmental, social, cultural, and economic aspects of sustainable development.
Based on nearly a decade of research on Turkey’s urban dynamics, local governance, migration, socioeconomic inequality, and the effects of globalization, IPC’s research now takes a wider, future-focused approach to the challenges and opportunities of sustainable living in an age marked by rapid urbanization and planetary pressures.
Within this cluster, IPC explores the changing relationship between people, cities, and the environment, with a special focus on climate resilience, sustainable food systems, cultural heritage, urban governance, demographic shifts, and social inclusion. It examines how local and regional contexts—particularly in Anatolian cities—are influenced by global trends, and how these contexts, in turn, shape policy decisions, community experiences, and quality of life.
Through public programs like Minerva Talks, Reading Istanbul in Literature, and From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics, along with collaborative events such as The Urban Future of Humanity, IPC views sustainability not just as a technical or policy issue but as a cultural, social, and ecological experience. These activities showcase the connection between urban history, current urban life, food and agriculture, migration, cultural production, and environmental change.
Additionally, IPC contributes to the public discourse in this area through publications such as Zappa Zamanlar: IPC Special Series, published monthly in Aposto and on our website, which links sustainability themes with broader political, economic, and global developments. By combining research, public engagement, and interdisciplinary dialogue, IPC’s work on Sustainability aims to provide actionable insights for policymakers, local governments, civil society, and communities, helping create a more livable, resilient, and just future.
#Sustainability | #SustainableDevelopment | #Well-being | #SocialPolicies | #JustTransition
From Farm to Table - Farming Through the Eyes of Farmers: What's Happening in the Fields?
IPC organized the event “From Farm to Table - Food, Culture and Politics Talks: Farming Through the Eyes of Farmers: What’s Happening in the Fields? (Tarladan Sofraya: Yemek, Kültür ve Siyaset Söyleşileri - Üreticinin Gözünden Tarım: Tarlada Neler Oluyor?),” which was held with the participation of Ayhan Öztürk, Ömer Kök and Yusuf Emre Kahveci as speaker and Zafer Yenal as moderator on April 9 at IPC Karaköy.
Reading Istanbul in Literature 22 - Istanbul's Feminine Memory: Reading Halide Edib Beyond the Canon
IPC organized the event “Reading Istanbul in Literature - Istanbul’s Feminine Memory: Reading Halide Edib Beyond the Canon (İstanbul'un Kadın Belleği: Halide Edib'i Kanonun Ötesinde Okumak)” which featured Bilge Ulusman as speaker and Şerif Eskin as moderator on April 6 at IPC Karaköy.
Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History - The Multiple Meanings of a Monument: The Perception of the Church of Saint Irene in the Ottoman Palace in the 16th Century
IPC and Tarih Vakfı continue to organize the monthly “Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History (Minerva Konuşmaları: Tarihte İstanbul)” series. The discussion titled “The Multiple Meanings of a Monument: The Perception of the Church of Saint Irene in the Ottoman Palace in the 16th Century (Bir Anıtın Çoklu Anlamları: 16. Yüzyılda Aya İrini'nin Osmanlı Sarayı'ndaki Algılanışı)” was delivered by Bilge Ar and moderated by Ayşe Köse Badur and Ayşe Ozil on March 26 at IPC Karaköy.
From Farm to Table - Olives and Biodiversity: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
IPC organized the event “From Farm to Table - Food, Culture and Politics Talks: Olives and Biodiversity: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Tarladan Sofraya: Yemek, Kültür ve Siyaset Söyleşileri - Zeytin ve Biyoçeşitlilik: Dün, Bugün, Yarın),” which was held with the participation of Zeynep Delen and Alen Mevlat as speaker and Zafer Yenal as moderator on March 25 at IPC Karaköy.
Report Launch: IPC - Turkey Social Psychological Well-Being Report - 2025
The launch event for the "IPC-Turkey Social Psychological Well-Being Report—2025 (İPM-Türkiye Sosyal Psikolojik Esenlik Raporu—2025)," prepared by Senior Scholars Nebi Sümer and Zafer Yenal, took place on March 10 at IPC Karaköy.
Reading Istanbul in Literature 20 - Istanbul as a Veil of Imagination in the Novel The Clown and His Daughter
IPC organized the event "Reading Istanbul in Literature - Istanbul as a Veil of Imagination in the Novel The Clown and His Daughter (Sinekli Bakkal Romanında Bir Hayal Perdesi Olarak Istanbul)" which featured Esengül Sağlam Cam as speaker and Seval Şahin as moderator on March 10 at IPC Karaköy.
