Suburban development and networks of mobility : sites in Izmir, Turkey

In this paper we examine the tensions between the city and the town with a focus on the processes through which new forms of suburbia are produced near Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. Through a historical analysis, we illustrate how rapid urbanisation, networks of transportation, and lifestyle choices have encouraged the movement of urban elites from the city to the countryside, leading to a rapid rise in high-end gated communities called sites near Urla, a small town on the Izmir-Cesme expressway.