Forms of Capital and Vocabularies of Discontent: Framing Urban Transformation in Istanbul

• In Event: 3451 - Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 6. Frames and Framing

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics of contention in the physical and cultural reconstruction of the urban landscape in Istanbul, Turkey. Based on qualitative data collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and newspaper articles, I present three different collective action frames mobilized by activists in Istanbul's urban social movement field: conservation frame, moral economy frame, and resistance frame. Integrating insights from Pierre Bourdieu's field theory with the cultural approaches in social movements literature, I argue the framing processes are tied to actors' social position and the relative volume of economic and symbolic capital they possess.

Author

• Aras Koksal, University of Minnesota