Perspectives of space on violence: Establishing the relationship between space and violence through Ankara Bentderesi

Violence is an expansive and intricate concept analyzed across various disciplines. Although it is frequently perceived as an interpersonal phenomenon, violence is profoundly interconnected with spatial dynamics. The space associated with violence is not merely a physical environment; it serves as a locus where social relationships, power dynamics, and economic processes are materialized. Consequently, violence is exemplified not only through physical assaults or destruction but also through processes such as displacement, discrimination, poverty, and social exclusion, all of which occur from the disruption of social and economic structures. The main aim of this thesis is to examine how violence emerges through socio-spatial decisions, economic changes, and individual behaviors within space, to evaluate the physical, psychological, economic, structural, and symbolic impacts of these processes, and to determine which actions can be defined as violence. In line with this aim, the thesis targets to evaluate spatial violence using an interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional approach, and to uncover how different political regimes and urban/spatial planning strategies have perpetuated violence in various forms throughout history. xi For these purposes, Bentderesi and its surroundings, located in the Altındağ district of Ankara, have been chosen as a specific case study. Bentderesi has experienced significant social and spatial transformations over time, has harbored some of the most dangerous neighborhoods where even law enforcement hesitated to enter, and has been stigmatized by associations with brothels and prostitution, all while its historical, natural, and cultural heritage has been systematically eroded. It is a marginalized urban area where violence shapes the spatial environment, spatial transformation shapes violence, and this cyclical dynamic becomes evident. Thus, reinterpreting and redefining the concept of violence through a spatial lens requires a thorough re-reading of Bentderesi. The methodology employed in this thesis is grounded in David Riches' theory of violence, which explores violence from the perspectives of the performer, victim, and witness. This theoretical framework encourages a comprehensive understanding of spatial violence and its expressions within the built environment. The analysis conducted through this tripartite perspective reveals that space can function as a perpetrator, provoking violence, as a victim, suffering harm from political and individual actions, and as a witness, retaining the imprints of violence. This classification makes visible the underlying processes that contribute to urban spaces' destructive, fear-inducing, criminal, and harmful outcomes. Keywords: Spatial violence, Spatial transformation, Urban politics and human behavior, Perspectives of violence, Bentderesi