Analyzing the Consequences of Globalization on Cities with Emphasis on Urban Regimes

Globalization is undoubtedly the most striking difference between yesterday and today; it is closely related with the concepts of integration and homogenization of the world, the global village, global communication compression, or “excessive compaction of different meanings and concepts” according to John Short. Implications and consequences of this phenomenon have widely overshadowed political, economic, social and cultural aspects of global communities differently. Cities are like a reflection and portray for globalization in a way that the dynamics of contemporary cities implicate globalization. Cities in the Age of Globalization have rapidly changed their economies in order to adapt themselves to multinational companies, international media and foreign tourists. International trade centers, International festivals and immigrant communities are now parts of urban landscape. On the same basis, the present study attempts to analyze the consequences of globalization on cities, and consequently on urban regime changes, in a descriptive – analytic way. This research shows that the processes of globalization have lead to changes in cities and network of cities. This means that most funds and elites are concentrated in particular cities. Social polarization and digital dichotomy has increasingly risen. “Fear architected” is hanging upon the wealthy habitations and Kinsey city has been replaced by the entrepreneurship city. It means that the principles and procedures of urban policy have changed from the welfare policies towards economic competitiveness policies. The idea of cities as a place of collective life has peacefully changed to the idea of cities as places of competitive economic benefits.