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
Reading Istanbul in Literature 19 - 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 (Mor Salkımlı Ev'in Sesleri: Hatıra, Kimlik ve Tarih İnşaası)," which featured Alara Çakmakçı as speaker and Şerif Eskin as the moderator on January 7 at IPC Karaköy.
Minerva Talks 24 – Istanbul in History: Kandilli Rasathanesi: Science, Nature, and Institutions from the Ottoman Era to the Present Day, Mustafa Aktar
Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History - Kandilli Observatory: Science, Nature and Institutions from the Ottoman Era to the Present Day
IPC and Tarih Vakfı continue to organize the monthly "Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History" series. The discussion titled "Kandilli Observatory: Science, Nature and Institutions from the Ottoman Era to the Present Day (Kandilli Rasathanesi: Osmanlı'dan Günümüze Bilim, Doğa ve Kurumlar) was delivered by Mustafa Aktar and moderated by Ayşe Köse Badur and Ayşe Ozil, on December 18 at IPC Karaköy.
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks – Changing Taste Maps from California to Istanbul, Levent Soysal
From Farm to Table: Changing Flavor Maps from California to Istanbul
IPC organized the event "From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Changing Flavor Maps from California to Istanbul (Tarladan Sofraya - Yemek, Kültür ve Siyaset Söyleşileri: Kaliforniya’dan İstanbul’a Değişen Lezzet Haritaları)," which was held with the participation of Levent Soysal as speaker and Zafer Yenal as moderator on December 16 at IPC Karaköy.
Reading Istanbul in Literature 18 - The Gypsies of Istanbul and the Education of the Other: Halide Edib Adıvar's Gypsy Girl
IPC organized the event "Reading Istanbul in Literature - The Gypsies of Istanbul and the Educaiton of the Other: Halide Edib Adıvar's Gypsy Girl (İstanbul Çingeneleri ve Ötekinin Terbiyesi: Halide Edib Adıvar’ın Çingene Kızı)" which featured İmren Gece Özbey as speaker and Seval Şahin as moderator on December 9 at IPC Karaköy.