Kentlerde Modernite İdealine Doğu-Batı Ekseninde Eleştirel Bir Bakış

Abstract

The rational image of the West appears better if mentioned in the contrast to the East. For instance, Weber explains Islamic cities by linking them to the dynamics of Western ones such as religion, social class relationship and economic behaviour. In this context, the studies of western sociologists to consolidate the perception of city and the modernity with the magic word ‘western’ as a starting entity and a point of departure or the base of existence. From geographical discoveries to the present, most of the urban structures address on this ideology to undertake the task of judgements for other non-Western urban configurations. On the basis of Modernity's basic claim, cities are accepted as areas carrying codes and symbols of culture of societies in the everyday life and becoming representatives of all citizens in the urban space. While considering the East-Eest dilemma, the reality proves in many subjects exhibiting differences in the West and East parts of urban developments with its own spatial, social, cultural, economical and essentially on human parameters. Thus, itis aimed to make a philosophical evaluation on the modernity thought in relation to the East-West idealization of cities in accordance to their characteristics in this study.