This month we got together with Nil Uzun, Professor in City and Regional Planning at the Middle East Technical University (METU), Türkiye.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

As a city planner my research focuses on redevelopment in residential areas, housing policies and  gentrification. My interest in gentrification during my undergraduate studies led me to conducting further research on the topic in my graduate studies. In 1998 I was accepted by Urban Research centre Utrecht (URU) as a visiting researcher for a short term. During my stay, I expanded my research project which was subsequently adopted by the Utrecht University Ph.D. pilot program. I earned my Ph.D. degree in Urban Geography at Utrecht University in 2001 with my dissertation titled “Gentrification in Istanbul: A Diagnostic study”. Subsequently, my interests broadened to include urban transformation processes. I engaged in and led research projects on residential transformation in Ankara. Following several academic positions, in 2015 I was appointed as a full professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Middle East Technical University (METU).

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about housing policies and their influence on cities. As a city planner, I focus on how various housing types develop in Turkish cities and the urban environments they create. The diverse housing developments in Turkish cities prompted me to investigate the policies that shaped them and their relationship to the urban planning process. Additionally, I teach a course on urbanization and urban sociology to first-year university students. My background in urban sociology enables me to analyze the social impacts of changes in residential areas effectively.

What are you working on these days?

I am currently working on a project investigating housing usage density in Türkiye. In addition, I am conducting preliminary research about development of housing in Ankara. I am also compiling an edited book depicting residential transformation in Ankara.

What brings you to PLPR?

I view urban planning, law, and property rights as the three foundational pillars of urban residential transformation in Türkiye. In my professional capacity, I also serve as an expert witness in lawsuits concerning urban plans developed by public institutions. This role provides me with valuable insights into the relationship between planning and legal regulations. I eagerly anticipate discussing my research in these topics with PLPR members.

Anecdote: things we don’t know about you?

I find memoirs fascinating. They provide an exciting opportunity for me to explore the daily life and social structures of different eras, as well as to analyze the urban experiences of those times.