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Description
Accessibility is a fundamental right, yet urban spaces continue to impose legal, spatial, societal, and administrative barriers that restrict independent mobility, particularly for persons with reduced mobility (PRMs). While accessibility regulations in Turkey are well-defined, their practical implementation remains fragmented, leading to continued exclusion from urban life. This research examines these interdependent barriers in the context of Ankara, Turkey, within the theoretical framework of the Right to the City (Lefebvre, 1996; Harvey, 1973; Castells, 1977; Şen, 2012) and accessibility as a chain of independent mobility (Arvanitis, 2004; Yılmaz, 2018; İmamoğlu, 2013; Mace, 1998). The Right to the City emphasizes the need to overcome urban alienation by enabling all inhabitants to appropriate urban space, while accessibility-related social exclusion is inherently tied to mobility justice, where mobility is understood as a collective right (Harvey, 2008; Sager, 2006). Mobility-led social exclusion significantly impacts individuals' participation in social, economic, and political life (Hawas, Hassan, and Abulibdeh, 2016; Kenyon, Lyons, and Rafferty, 2002).
To analyze these barriers holistically, this study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating desk research, legal system analysis, spatial case study research, and focus group discussions. It investigates how legal, spatial, societal, and administrative aspects of accessibility interact to hinder PRMs from fully exercising their right to access. The leading hypothesis is that ensuring accessible cities requires a comprehensive accessibility framework encompassing these four interdependent dimensions.
The main research question is: ‘How do legal, spatial, societal, and administrative aspects of accessibility, as interdependent processes, create barriers that prevent PRMs from exercising their right to access in Turkey?’ The leading hypothesis is that the right to access is a right for all, and the way to have accessible cities is possible as long as a comprehensive accessibility framework is ensured, including four interdependent aspects: legal, spatial, societal, and administrative.’ To investigate accessibility barriers in Ankara, this study employs a multi-method approach combining spatial analysis and focus group discussions. The spatial analysis focuses on three neighborhoods and a central boulevard, selected for their representative urban characteristics and diverse accessibility challenges. Using ArcGIS Online Survey 123 software, barriers were systematically mapped according to regulatory and design standards, followed by density mapping to identify critical spatial accessibility challenge areas. To complement the spatial findings, 11 focus group discussions were conducted to explore societal and administrative barriers. Each session included representatives from different disability groups, prioritizing participants from advocacy organizations to ensure strong representational power. Structured around open-ended questions, the discussions fostered co-learning and cross-dialogue, leading to striking insights on accessibility challenges. The integration of these methods revealed the interdependence of legal, spatial, societal, and administrative barriers, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to accessibility policymaking.
The findings reveal that, despite a well-defined legislative framework, spatial, societal, and administrative barriers persist, reinforcing mobility-related social exclusion. By addressing accessibility through a multidimensional lens rather than focusing solely on legal or spatial constraints, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of accessibility challenges and offers strategic insights for policymakers, urban planners, and accessibility advocates striving for more inclusive cities.
References
Arvanitis, A. V. (2004). People With Disability in Modern Society. Athens: Biopolitics International Organization.
Castells, M. (1977). The Urban Question: A Marxist Approach. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Harvey, D. (1973). Social Justice and the City. Oxford: Blackwell.
Harvey, D. (2008). The Right to the City. New Left Review, s. 23-40.
Hawas, Y., Hassan, M. N., and Abulibdeh, A. (2016). A Multi-Criteria Approach of Assessing Public Transport Accessibility at A Strategic Level. Journal of Transport Geography, 57, pp. 19-34.
İmamoğlu, V. (2013). Evrensel Tasarıma Bir Yaklaşım: ODTÜ Mimarlık Fakültesi Deneyimi. Eskişehir: Anadolu Üniversitesi.
Kenyon, S., Lyons, G., and Rafferty, J. (2002). Transport and Social Exclusion: Investigating the Possibility of Promoting Inclusion through Virtual Mobility. Journal of Transport Geography, 10(3), pp. 207-219.
Lefebvre, H. (1996). Writings on cities. Cambridge: Blackwell.
Mace, R. (1998). A Perspective on Universal Design. Designing for the 21st Century: An International Conference on Universal Design. FAIA.
Sager, T. (2006). Freedom as Mobility: Implications of the Distinction between Actual and Potential Travelling. Mobilities, 1(3), s. 465-488.
Şen, S. (2012). Kentlilik Üzerine Düşünmek. Eğitim, Toplum ve Bilim Dergisi, pp. 110-117.
Yılmaz, M. (2018). Public Space and Accessibility. ICONARP International Journal of Architecture and Planning, Special Issue(6), 01-14.
| Keywords | The Right to the City: Accessibility: Mobility: Disability |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
