Conceptual Framework
For a long time, cities of Turkey and around the world have faced challenges from social, economic and ecological bottlenecks. Concerns and discontent about a wide field of issues ranging from working conditions to shaping our environment, from modes of transport to nutrition habits, and from learning environments to the sustainability of our ecological resources, are mounting. In parallel to the ongoing conflicts in various geographies around the world, the difficulties of displaced societies in establishing a new life in different geographies are increasing and force societies to rethink the conditions of coexistence. Existing institutional structures have difficulty in responding to these issues and the solutions that they present fail to respond to the needs and expectations of large segments of society while falling short of producing radical solutions to ever deepening and sophisticated problems.
This situation leads to increasing criticism of the reforms proposed from within the system, while movements that emerge in response to these problems usually wither away with limited effects, due especially to the oppressive and threatening environment. These conditions pressurize societies to seek new solutions. In fact, in recent times, it has been observed that different sectors of society have been organized in different ways (solidarity networks, platforms, communities, etc.) to overcome the existing problems. Concrete practices that claim to present alternatives to the intra-establishment reform proposals have been developed by different segments of society have been developed. Moreover, increasing problems lead to the emergence of municipal governance experiences that develop unique practices eliminating the hierarchical boundaries between civil society and local governments. It is important that these practices, which move beyond a critical discourse to materialize alternatives to the existing order, are discussed with their different aspects, and that through the analysis of the obtained experience, their perspectives and approaches are conceptualized. “Seeking New Solutions to Social Problems Symposium” aims to achieve this and invites non-government entities, local and regional governments, researchers and academicians to seek answers to the following questions:
1. Discussion on the conditions that necessitate the emergence of new practices and the process of their materialization.
2. What are the similarities and differences between experiences that emerge in different political, economic and social contexts?
3. What are the values and concepts that underpin the development of new structures? How do they differ from the values and concepts that conventional practices and institutions are based on?
4. What is their chance of becoming an alternative that differs from the existing order? What are their limitations?
5. What are the conditions of these new formations to survive? What challenges do they face? How can these challenges be overcome?
6. What distinguishes the contemporary conditions and the practices that are being built under these conditions from the conventional experiences? Is it appropriate to consider a continuity? Or, do they present an unprecedented experience?
7. How can the emergent experiences and practices be conceptualized?
SEEKING NEW SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS SYMPOSIUM
PROGRAM
15-16 November 2019
Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center – Izmir
Friday, 15 November 2019
10.00-10.30 Preliminary Speeches
Alp Yücel Kaya [Prof., Ege University, Member of the Scientific Board of the Izmir Mediterranean Academy, Coordinator of the Department of History]
Tunç Soyer [Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality of Izmir]
10.30-12.00 Ist Session
Alternative Models in Local Government
Chair:
Ulaş Bayraktar [Assoc. Prof., Independent researcher]
Sharing Cities: Is There Another Possibility, Is That Solidarity?
Ismael Blanco [Associate Professor, Director of Institute of Government and Public Policy]-Ricard Goma [Prof. Dr., Autonomous University of Barcelona]
Building Alternatives from below: Social Innovation and New Municipalism in Barcelona
Ulus Atayurt
Three Cases on Relation Between Local Governments and Economics of Solidarity
12.00-13.00 Lunch break
13.00-14.30 IIst Session
Alternatives in Production and Consumption -I
Chair: Aslıhan Aykaç Yanardağ [Prof., Ege University]
Emel Karakaya Ayalp [Dr., Izmir Democracy University]-Zerrin Çelik [Dr., Agricultural Engineer, Ministry of Agriculture Research Institute]-Fatih Özden [Dr. Research Assistant, Ege University]
Alternative Agri-Food System and Possibilities of Urban Food Planning in İzmir
Kirsten Koop [Dr.,University Grenoble Alpes]
Modes of Enactment and Scaling up of Norm-Disruptive Social Innovations in the Alpine Space
Umut Kocagöz [Researcher-Activist]
Food Initiatives in the Context of Democratic Citizenship
Zafer Yenal [Prof., Boğaziçi University]-Derya Nizam [Dr. Izmir University of Economics]
What Did We Learn from the Case of Karakılcık and Seferihisar? Local Government, Agriculture and Food
14.30-14.45 Break
15.45-16.00 IIIrd Session
Alternatives in Production and Consumption -II
Chair: Şükrü Özen [Prof., Izmir University of Economics]
Berkin Şafak Şener [Youth Deal Cooperative]
Social Cooperatives for Economic Democracy
Derya Nizam [Dr. Izmir University of Economics]
A Sociological Analysis of Local Development Strategies and Co-operative Experience in Izmir
Duriye Kayser [Urla Women’s Initiative Production and Management Cooperative]
Pelin Atakan [International Center of Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies]
Community Assisted Agriculture: What Does Social Capital Say about Sustainability?
16.00-17.00 Forum
Saturday, 16 November 2019
10.00-12.30 IVth Session
Search for Justice and Social Struggles
Chair: Ayşen Uysal tbc
Orhan Gazi Ertekin [Judge]
State of Emergency and the Transformation of Law in Turkey
Fevzi Özlüer [Lawyer]
Legal Applicability of Ecological Struggle and Experience of Center for Ecological Rights
Selçuk Kozağaçlı [Lawyer]-Arif Ali Cangı [Lawyer]
Begüm Özden Fırat [Assoc. Prof. Mimar Sinan University]
The Challenge of Urban Commons and Claims of Common Ownership
Senih Özay [Lawyer]
New Trials, Especially Justice and Social Struggles
Hayriye Özen [Prof., Izmir University of Economics]
Local Environmental Struggles, Politics and Judiciary
12.30-13.30 Lunch break
13.30-14.40 Vth Session
Differences and Coexistence
Chair:
Lülüfer Körükmez [Dr. independent researcher]
Migration, Solidarity and Citizenship Regimes/Practices
M. Cem Terzi [Prof.]
From Depression to Living Together
Fırat Genç [Dr., Istanbul Bilgi University]
Dissolution of Publicity, Contradictory Opportunities and Policy of the Commons
14.40-15.00 Coffee break
15.00-15.45 Forum
15.45-16.30 Assessment Session
Chair:
İlhan Tekeli [Prof., Middle East Technical University, Honorary Founding President of the Izmir Mediterranean Academy]
Prof. Alp Yücel Kaya [Ege University, Faculty of Economics and Political Science] Lawyer Arif Ali Cangı Assoc. Prof. Aslıhan Aykaç [Izmir University of Economics, Faculty of BusinessAdministration] Assoc. Prof. Ayşegül Sabuktay [Director of Izmir Mediterranean Academy] Assoc. Prof. Burcu Şentürk [Ege University, Faculty of Economics and Political Science] Dr. Derya Nizam [Izmir University of Economics, Faculty of Science and Literature] Dr. Dilek Akyalçın Kaya [Historian, Editor of Meltem] Dr. Fatih Özden [Ege University, Faculty of Agriculture] Dr. Güldem Özatağan [Independent Researcher] Özgür Gökmen [Political Scientist, Editor of Meltem] Prof. Dr. Şükrü Özen [Izmir University of Economics, Faculty of Business Administration] Dr. Zerrin Çelik [Agricultural Engineer, Ministry of Agriculture Research Institute]
Ahmed Adnan Saygun Sanat Merkezi
Mithatpaşa Caddesi No:1087 Güzelyalı Konak/ İZMİR
