The Socio-Cultural and Economic Role of Squares in Urban Life: The Case of Samsun Saathane Square

Faruk Turğut; Hülya Uçak

Article Details

The Socio-Cultural and Economic Role of Squares in Urban Life: The Case of Samsun Saathane Square

Authors:

Faruk Turğut | Hülya Uçak

Publisher:

Afyon Kocatepe University

Main Topics:

Kent Sosyolojisi ve Toplum Çalışmaları

Journal:

Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.27 Issue 3, pp.1166-1186

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358833

pISSN:

1302-1265

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This study focuses on the importance of squares in urban life, how the changing processes transform the square, and how the tradesmen, as residents of the square, experience this transformation in the case of Saathane Square in Samsun. Based on the fact that urban squares are not only physical spaces but also the product of a social construction process that reflects and reproduces the history, culture, identity, and social life of the city, it has been investigated how the changes in space and social conditions transform Saathane Square. The main purpose of the study is to understand the experiences of the tradesmen, who are permanent residents of the Square and who constantly experience the flow of life here and are important stakeholders in its reproduction, and to reveal the social, economic, historical, and symbolic meanings of the square through these experiences. In this study, where the phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was preferred, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 participants who have been tradesmen in Saathane Square for many years. It was found that Saathane Square is the economic and socio-cultural center of Samsun. With its historical past, symbolic structures reflecting this history, cultural texture, and central location in the city, the Square is considered an important component of Samsuns urban culture, identity, and life. On the other hand, it has been determined that the Squares place in the citys economic life has decreased compared to the past due to both its spatial renewal and the impact of new capitalist market conditions; and that new capitalist conditions have significant effects on the tradesman culture and relations in the Square.

 This study focuses on the importance of squares in urban life, how the changing processes transform the square, and how the tradesmen, as residents of the square, experience this transformation in the case of Saathane Square in Samsun. Based on the fact that urban squares are not only physical spaces but also the product of a social construction process that reflects and reproduces the history, culture, identity, and social life of the city, it has been investigated how the changes in space and social conditions transform Saathane Square. The main purpose of the study is to understand the experiences of the tradesmen, who are permanent residents of the Square and who constantly experience the flow of life here and are important stakeholders in its reproduction, and to reveal the social, economic, historical, and symbolic meanings of the square through these experiences. In this study, where the phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was preferred, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 participants who have been tradesmen in Saathane Square for many years. It was found that Saathane Square is the economic and socio-cultural center of Samsun. With its historical past, symbolic structures reflecting this history, cultural texture, and central location in the city, the Square is considered an important component of Samsuns urban culture, identity, and life. On the other hand, it has been determined that the Squares place in the citys economic life has decreased compared to the past due to both its spatial renewal and the impact of new capitalist market conditions; and that new capitalist conditions have significant effects on the tradesman culture and relations in the Square.

 This study focuses on the importance of squares in urban life, how the changing processes transform the square, and how the tradesmen, as residents of the square, experience this transformation in the case of Saathane Square in Samsun. Based on the fact that urban squares are not only physical spaces but also the product of a social construction process that reflects and reproduces the history, culture, identity, and social life of the city, it has been investigated how the changes in space and social conditions transform Saathane Square. The main purpose of the study is to understand the experiences of the tradesmen, who are permanent residents of the Square and who constantly experience the flow of life here and are important stakeholders in its reproduction, and to reveal the social, economic, historical, and symbolic meanings of the square through these experiences. In this study, where the phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was preferred, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 participants who have been tradesmen in Saathane Square for many years. It was found that Saathane Square is the economic and socio-cultural center of Samsun. With its historical past, symbolic structures reflecting this history, cultural texture, and central location in the city, the Square is considered an important component of Samsuns urban culture, identity, and life. On the other hand, it has been determined that the Squares place in the citys economic life has decreased compared to the past due to both its spatial renewal and the impact of new capitalist market conditions; and that new capitalist conditions have significant effects on the tradesman culture and relations in the Square.

 Bu çalışma, Samsunda bulunan Saathane Meydanı örneğinde meydanların kent yaşamındaki önemine, yaşanan değişim süreçlerinin meydanı nasıl dönüştürdüğüne ve meydanın sakinleri olarak esnafların bu dönüşümü nasıl deneyimlediğine odaklanmaktadır. Kent meydanların sadece fiziki bir mekân değil, aynı zamanda kentin tarihini, kültürünü, kimliğini, toplumsal yaşamını yansıtan ve yeniden üreten bir sosyal inşa sürecinin ürünü olduğu gerçeğinden yola çıkarak, mekân ve sosyal koşulların değişiminin Saathane Meydanını nasıl dönüştürdüğü araştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın temel amacı, Meydanının sürekli sakinleri olan ve buradaki yaşam akışını sürekli biçimde hem deneyimleyen hem de yeniden üretilmesinde önemli birer paydaş olan esnafların süreç içerisindeki deneyimlerini anlamak ve bu deneyimler ile meydanın sosyal, ekonomik, tarihsel, sembolik anlamlarını ortaya koymaktır. Nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden fenomenolojik desenin tercih edildiği bu araştırmada, Saathane Meydanında uzun yıllardır esnaflık yapan 10 katılımcı ile derinlemesine görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Saathane Meydanının, Samsunun ekonomik ve sosyo-kültürel olarak merkezi olduğu bulgularına ulaşılmıştır. Meydanın sahip olduğu tarihi geçmişiyle, bu tarihi yansıtan sembol yapılarıyla, kültürel dokusuyla, şehirdeki merkezi konumuyla Samsunun kent kültürünün, kimliğinin, yaşamının önemli bir bileşeni olarak kabul edilmektedir. Buna karşın hem mekânsal olarak yenilenmesi hem de yeni kapitalist piyasa koşullarının etkisiyle Meydanın kentin ekonomik yaşamındaki yerinin geçmişe nazaran azaldığı; yeni kapitalist koşulların Meydanda mevcut bulunan esnaflık kültüründe ve ilişkilerinde de belirgin etkilere sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Article Details

The Socio-Cultural and Economic Role of Squares in Urban Life: The Case of Samsun Saathane Square

Authors:

Faruk Turğut | Hülya Uçak

Publisher:

Afyon Kocatepe University

Main Topics:

Kent Sosyolojisi ve Toplum Çalışmaları

Journal:

Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.27 Issue 3, pp.1166-1186

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358833

pISSN:

1302-1265

Samsun

City

Square

Urban Sociology

Spacemekan

Samsun

Kent

Meydan

Kent Sosyolojisi

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Faruk Turğut | Hülya Uçak

Publisher: Afyon Kocatepe University

Main Topics: Kent Sosyolojisi ve Toplum Çalışmaları

Journal: Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.27 Issue 3, pp.1166-1186

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 9/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358833

pISSN: 1302-1265

Issues

Authors:

Faruk Turğut | Hülya Uçak

Publisher:

Afyon Kocatepe University

Main Topics:

Kent Sosyolojisi ve Toplum Çalışmaları

Journal:

Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.27 Issue 3, pp.1166-1186

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358833

pISSN:

1302-1265