Preference reasons for cafes in Kadıköy (The case of Osmanağa and Caferağa district)

This study investigates the reasons for preference of cafes in Kadıköy District of Istanbul. When the activity spaces in Osmanğa and Caferağa neighborhoods, which are the sampling areas, are examined, it is seen that these areas are not spatially homogeneous. The cafes within the scope of the research constitute a heterogeneous area in a wide spatial framework in the region. Here, in Kadıköy District, it is possible to see the effect of the social differentiation dimension on the space effectively. In this context, Kadıköy District was chosen as a suitable study area for the interaction of space and identity, in line with the studies of the famous geographer David Harvey on space. Harvey, especially in his article titled "Class Structure and Spatial Differentiation Theory", explained that spatial diversity progresses at the same rate as social difference. In addition, in this study, he argued that some factors affect social differentiation. One of these factors, the Industrial Revolution, states that the realization of an intensive production process on a global scale has caused some changes on the homogeneous structure of the space. In this period, as a result of capital and production, the impact on the place where people live has increased throughout the world. In addition, it has been emphasized that capitalism has a direct effect on society and that many phenomena are affected as a result, by addressing the division of labor and the emergence of social differentiation as a result of capitalism. Harvey, in this study, dealt with spatial differentiation with its general effect, and at this point, he went towards a critical geography analysis. Thus, he adds that the dynamism of spatial differentiation continues in a long process and the preferences of individuals are important in this differentiation. Kadıköy is a district where cafes are concentrated within the scope of space-identity interaction. Here, cafes show a diversity in terms of both community identity and spatial identity. In Kadıköy, especially Osmanağa and Caferağa neighborhoods are places where diversity is more in terms of cafe venues. For this reason, these neighborhoods were determined as the sample area of the study because they are suitable places for the study. The aim of the study is to examine the reasons why cafes are preferred in terms of space-identity interaction. For this purpose, a field study was conducted for cafes in the determined neighborhoods in order to reach high-valid data within the scope of the study. In these neighborhoods, observations were made by visiting different cafes in different time periods in a period of about a year. In the observations made, interviews were conducted with cafe customers in order to clarify the identity relationship between the user group and the space. The data obtained as a result of the fieldwork were analyzed and added to the study in the form of tables and graphs. In the other part of the study, the data obtained from the municipality and provided with Google Earth software were digitized and shown with maps. In the study, it was concluded that there is a large variety of cafes and this diversity creates a preference for cafe places. As a result of the observations, it has been learned that cafe customers choose places close to their own identities while choosing cafes. Here, the identity characteristics of the individual such as age, gender and occupation were decisive in the cafe preference. For example, it has been determined that a student who studies and spends time with his friends prefer different cafes in terms of environment. In line with the observations made in this way, it has been determined that individuals tend to different cafes that appeal to their own identities. In addition, the distribution of actively working cafes in Kadıköy and the effects of the factors affecting this distribution were examined. It has been learned that factors such as transportation and geographical location are determinative in the distribution of cafes.