Representations of Istabul - images of the East and West

Often described as a city “straddling the East and the West,” Istanbul has been and remains a much sought after, yet perhaps frustratingly unclassifiable, idea and geographical space. An ancient city passed through and inhabited by numerous cultures, the ideas and concepts of East, West, Europe, Asia, Religion, and Secularism dominate many discussions and representations of this present-day urban and cultural space.

Travelers, writers, artists, and other observers and observer/participants love to speak of the “meeting of the east and the west” in the city of Istanbul. The boundaries of the city do indeed expand into both Europe and Asia, separated by the Bosphorus. This oft advertised trivia is almost a tag line for Istanbul itself, adding an air of mystery to a city that is familiar yet exotic for many Western travelers. Who wouldn’t love to just pop over to Asia for lunch, or run over for a quick shopping trip in Europe?

Perhaps one aspect of this preoccupation with East and West and definition is encouraged by the seemingly “contradictory” currents in the city and throughout Turkish cultures. Many political scientists marvel at the ability of a majority Muslim populace to maintain a secular government. Many travelers include Istanbul on their whirlwind European tours; others include a visit to Turkey on trips through the Middle East. Those expecting the pink evening skyline of Istanbul, speckled with minarets and domes, to definitively reflect its residents may be disappointed or even dismayed. Observers and visitors often find it odd to find two women walking side by side if one wears and veil and one does not. While I understand the source of this amazement and confusion, I think seeing these pieces solely as contradiction is a bit off mark, a bit of an exercise in forcing a definition in relation to other more familiar places and spaces.

It takes only a short walk, such a stroll down the Galata Bridge crossing the Golden Horn, to realize that Istanbul is not simply a collection of similarly digestible neighborhoods. The sum of many trends, influences and districts, Istanbul can be quite elusive in terms of categorization. I do not wish to pin down this elusively, here and in later posts, but instead celebrate it. Feel free to join in.