Gentrification and Displacement Process: A Case Study of Erbil

By Dedar Salam Khoshnaw

An obvious question which should be addressed at the outset is why gentrification and displacement is concentrated in these particular neighbourhoods in Erbil (Citadel, Mustawfi, Bakhtiyari, and Kurani Ainkawa).

The removal of Saddam Hussein in 2003 removed all obstacles to economic growth, development, social change, and construction for the Iraqi Kurds Yildiz (2007) and Mati (2010).

Gentrification has been widely defined around a number of concepts about class alteration and introduction into a given area; these have led to definitions such as the movement of middle-class and upper-class residents into working-class areas of the inner city Munt (1987:1175),

Negotiating with, and participation of the residents before the application of the process could be the first successful step to think about gentrification differently. Exaggerated efforts to protect some original characteristics of the settlement are compulsory, such as ethnic differentiation, affordable rent values, and small-scale business. Co-operation of the local people in the development application of their areas could be more helpful for the authorities to become familiar with the residents problems and involve them with the process instead of displacing them directly or indirectly.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Feb 2, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504999090

Dedar Salam Khoshnaw

Dedar Salam Khoshnaw is an assistant lecturer in the Architectural Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at Koya University in Kurdistan Region. She has achieved her MSc. degree in Sheffield Hallam University in the UK.

Book preview

2016 Dedar Salam Khoshnaw. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 02/25/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9908-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9909-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

21098.png

Gentrification and Displacement Process:

A Case Study of Erbil

By

Dedar Salam Khoshnaw

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

Chapter 1- Introduction

Geographical Patterns and History of Gentrification in the Study Area

The Context of Gentrification and Displacement in Erbil

Aims of the Study

Research Question

Main Research Objectives of the Study

Scope of the Study

Chapter 2-Literature Review

Definitions and Causes of Gentrification and Displacement

Gentrification and Displacement Types and their Differences

First Vulnerable Places of Gentrification and the Most Evident Features in the First Stage of Gentrification

Back to the Inner-City

A positive Gentrification Process

A Negative Gentrification Process

Gentrification and Its Impact on Historic Urban Areas and Inner-City Character

Chapter 3 – Methodology and Research Methods

Research Design – Methodology

Research Methods

Case Study Area Materials

Participant Observation and Reporting

Semi-Structured Interviews to Interpret the Local Authority and Professionals Perceptions

Questionnaires for Interpreting Residents Feeling

Emerging Themes – Limitations

Ethical Consideration

Chapter4 - Analysis and Findings

The Process of Gentrification and Displacement

Gentrification Impact on Society and Household Facilities

Gentrification and Economic Impact

Character of the Area and Loss of Heritage

Back to the Inner-City

Chapter5 – Conclusions

Recommendations for Further Study

Bibliography

Appendixes

Appendix 1 Questionnaire

Appendix 2 Interview

Table of Figures

Figure 1: Map presenting the immigrant people from rural areas settled in Erbil from 1970s to 2000s.

Figure 2: Map showing areas studied and their location in Erbil.

Figure 3: Area of (A) Citadel quarter: view from rooftops and interior house view.

Figure 4: The compensatory area of (A by A1) New Citadel, showing the exterior of houses.

Figure 5: Area (B) Kurani Ainkawa with views outside and inside of the houses.

Figure 6: Compensatory area of (B by B1) view of houses exterior

Figure 7: An image of Mustawfi quarter before gentrification, taken from a residential area and the local social market area.

Figure 8: View from the street of C area after gentrification, showing the increase in business and hotels.

Figure 9: the view from outside houses of area D Bakhtiyari before gentrification.

Figure 10: The view from area B Bakhtiyari after gentrification, when it becomes a mixed-use residential and commercial area.

Figure 14: Design of a sample house in Citadel.

Figure 15: Design of a sample house in Kurani Ainkawa.

Figure 16: Design of a sample house from the new neighbourhoods of New Citadel and Grdjotiyar, where people were displaced from Citadel and Kurani Ainkawa.

Figure 17: Chart shows the residents feeling of happiness in new-house or former-house, according to the neighbourhoods.

Figure 18: Chart shows the residents feeling of happiness in new-house or former-house, according to the age group.

Figure 19: Chart shows the dereliction of facilities in new neighbourhoods.

Figure 20: Chart shows that if the displaced residents keep in contact after displacement.

Figure 21: Chart shows the gentrification impact on solving house problem.

Figure 22: Chart shows the gentrification impact on solving house problem.

Figure 23: Map shows the step1 of Erbil master plan, Citadel and buffer zone.

Figure 24: Map shows the Erbil master plan growth after 2004.

Figure 27: High-rise building around the Citadel and coverage of vision from distance to Citadel.

Figure 28: Chart shows neighbours preference for returning to the inner-city or former-house according to age groups.

Figure 29: Chart shows the neighbours preference for returning to the inner-city or former-hose according to the neighbourhoods.

List of Tables

Table 1: Shows the comparison for the gentrification and displacement between the government and developers created.

Acknowledgments

I would like to show my warmest gratitude to Paul Jones, who supported me with his feedbacks and comments to progress this book. Without his continuous feedback and support this project would not be successful.

I would like to show my special greeting for my parents, who always prayed and suffered with me during my study expressively. My brothers and sisters, whose sweetheart, attention, and constant support enforced me to follow this work and achieve my hope.

Thanks to all who became tired with the research as participants, for their willingness and times to participate to complete the current book.

Preface

Economic improvement is the main goal of each person, and gentrification is one way that people can achieve their goals, because it is a dynamic phenomenon that is continually developing and expanding to take advantage of new opportunities for changing economy for better. Moreover, it brings varying outcomes for the residents, by affecting some positively and others negatively. Usually, from the perspective of the developers and local agencies gentrification has an overwhelmingly positive impact on the residents, and they think it is the way to promote residents from the working-class to the middle-class.

The main issue of the gentrifiers or the local authority was that they denied that gentrification may, to some extent, cause a negative impact for the residents. Where the negative influences were so evident in the residents’ real lives, it is true that gentrification could almost raise the social classes of the most deprived areas in the case study, in Citadel, Mustawfi, Kurani Ainkawa, and Bakhtiyari in Erbil. But there were still a number of problems, such as lack of social interaction, distance from their jobs, lack of public transportation in the new area, and above all, the elderly groups were damaged psychologically because they used to live in traditional Kurdish houses (courtyard design), but their new houses were not built on this pattern.

Chapter One

Introduction

Chapter 1- Introduction

This chapter will make the reader be familiar with current research study. In the beginning it will clarify the geographic distribution of the gentrified areas in Erbil and the history of the gentrification there. It will also state the reason for selecting the four neighbourhood areas (Citadel, Mustawfi, Bakhtiyari, and Kurani Ainkawa) among the other gentrified neighbourhoods in Erbil. The type of gentrification and displacement will be specified in each selected neighbourhood. At