As part of Bilgi University Student Solidarity’s recent programming, the screening of Ecumenopolis: City Without Limits—followed by a discussion with director İmre Azem , Pelin Pınar Giritlioğlu and urban planner and activist Mücella Yapıcı—offered a timely and critical reflection on Turkey’s ongoing urban and political transformations.
Azem’s 2011 documentary presents a powerful account of Istanbul’s transformation under neoliberal urban policies. By tracing the stories of displaced communities, the environmental destruction caused by mega-projects, and the growing inequality embedded in urban planning, the film reveals how Istanbul’s physical, social, and cultural fabric is being reshaped. In doing so, Ecumenopolis provides a compelling lens through which to understand contemporary debates on urban justice and spatial politics.
This event was selected not only for its thematic relevance, but also for how it resonates with current student resistance movements and their demands for spatial justice and democratic participation in urban life. As Mücella Yapıcı emphasized during the conversation, the right to the city includes the right to participate in how it is imagined, planned, and shared. In this sense, the screening became a moment of collective learning and solidarity—reminding us that cities are not just built, but actively claimed.
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