Cities in the globalized world: A view from the cultural perspective

The research investigates the effects of the last wave globalization on cities; how they evolved, and how gradually, they formed ultimately growing cultural economies. Since culture began to be appreciated as an integral part of the economy on local, national and global basis, several issues have come to the foreground of the world?s agenda. Since the last quarter of the twentieth century, massive structures of cultural and creative industries are formed due to the fact that culture has acquired a new economic value for the development and wellbeing of a city. Economy based on culture and creativity is a vital force for a city. Some cities grow strategically in terms of their dominating economy, and culture. Cities, being at the nucleus of the globalized world order, submit to transformations. Cultural policies take into consideration issues concerning urban regeneration through cultural means; and marketing local cultures is an ultimately important subject both locally and internationally. The issue of the Creative City is the reoccurring rhetoric in the cultural agendas. Culture based strategies for marketing cities are currently in motion and enhanced by diverse international community projects such as the European Capital of Culture, or the Olympic Games. All efforts are to create and promote a symbolic economy for cities and culture is widely used to endorse the position of a city on the cultural and economic map of the world.The method used in this work is widely based on desk research. Majority of the materials are mostly provided by the Knowledge Centre of Yeditepe University.Keywords: globalization, city, cultural economy, creative industries, creative city, culture-led urban regeneration, city marketing, European Capital of Culture, Olympic Games