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 Gypsies of Istanbul and the Discipline of the Other: Halide Edib Adıvar’s Gypsy Girl, İmren Gece Özbey
From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks – Quantum Table: On Science, Taste and Curiosity, Zafer Gedik
IPC organized the event "From Farm to Table: Food, Culture and Politics Talks - Quantum Table: On Science, Taste and Curiosity (Tarladan Sofraya: Yemek, Kültür ve Politika Konuşmaları - Kuantum Masası: Bilim,Tat ve Merak Üzerine)," which was held on November 25 at IPC Karaköy with the participation of Zafer Yenal as moderator and Zafer Gedik as speaker.
Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History - Agriculture and Urban Change in Istanbul from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic
IPC and Tarih Vakfı continue to organize the monthly "Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History" series. The discussion titled "Agriculture and Urban Change in Istanbul from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic (Osmanlı'dan Cumhuriyet'e İstanbul'da Tarım ve Kentsel Değişim)" moderated by Ayşe Ozil and Ayşe Köse Badur, was delivered by Ayşe Nur Akdal on November 20 at IPC Karaköy.
Minerva Talks 23 – Istanbul in History: Agriculture and Urban Development from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic, Ayşe Nur Akdal
ActHuman VII Report Launch: “Humans in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Rethinking Social Equity”
Under the seventh round of the ActHuman Social Inclusion Initiative, IPC and INGEV organized a launch event for the report “Humans in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Rethinking Social Equity (Yapay Zeka Çağında İnsan: Toplumsal Eşitliği Yeniden Düşünmek),” written by Emrehan Aktuğ, project rapporteur and Assistant Professor at Sabancı University, on November 20, 2025, at IPC Karaköy.
Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History - Agriculture and Urban Change in Istanbul from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic
IPC and Tarih Vakfı continue to organize the monthly "Minerva Talks: Istanbul in History" series. The discussion titled "Agriculture and Urban Change in Istanbul from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic (Osmanlı'dan Cumhuriyet'e İstanbul'da Tarım ve Kentsel Değişim)" moderated by Ayşe Ozil and Ayşe Köse Badur, was delivered by Ayşe Nur Akdal on November 20 at IPC Karaköy.