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: Climate Justice Map and Agriculture
IPC organized the event "From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Climate Justice Map and Agriculture (Tarladan Sofraya - Yemek, Kültür ve Siyaset Söyleşileri: İklim Adaleti Haritası ve Tarım)," which was held with the participation of Murat Güvenç as speaker and Zafer Yenal as moderator on February 16 at IPC Karaköy.
Book Talk with Renata Salecl - Stuck: The Subject of Neoliberalism
IPC organized a book talk "Stuck: The Subject of Neoliberalism" with Renata Salecl on February 13 at IPC Karaköy.
Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History - Istanbul, from the Window Edge
IPC and Tarih Vakfı continue to organize the monthly "Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History" series. The discussion titled "Istanbul, from the Window Edge (Cam Kenarından İstanbul) " was delivered by Oktay Özman and moderated by Ayşe Köse Badur and Ayşe Ozil on February 12 at IPC Karaköy.
Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History - Health System in Istanbul during the Late Ottoman Period
IPC and Tarih Vakfı continue to organize the monthly "Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History" series. The discussion titled "Health System in Istanbul during the Late Ottoman Period (Geç Osmanlı Dönemi istanbul'unda Sağlık Sistemi) was delivered by Ceren Gülser İlikan Rasimoğlu and moderated by Ayşe Köse Badur and Ayşe Ozil, on January 15 at IPC Karaköy.
Institutional Innovation in Cities
Representing IPC, Ivan Lopez Cruz, a faculty member at Sabanci University's Economics Department, participated in the Symposium on Institutional Innovation in Cities, held on January 8–9, 2026, at Harvard University’s Bloomberg Center for Cities. The event brought together researchers and policy practitioners to discuss institutional coordination in addressing complex urban challenges such as crime, climate risks, and social services. Lopez Cruz shared insights on the political economy of urban security, emphasizing the importance of state capacity and policy timing in effective cross-agency coordination.
Reading Istanbul in Literature -The Voices of the House with Purple Grapes: Memory, Identity, and the Construction of History
IPC organized the event "Reading Istanbul in Literature - The Voices of the House with Purple Grapes: Memory, Identity, and the Construction of History (İMor Salkımlı Ev'in Sesleri: Hatıra, Kimlik ve Tarih İnşaası" which featured Alara Çakmakçı as speaker and Şerif Eskin as moderator on January 7 at IPC Karaköy.