What is it about?
This research explores how responsibility for post-disaster housing is understood and shared in Türkiye. It examines government institutions, local authorities, and communities to see who makes the key decisions in reconstruction. We use two examples (Düzce Hope Homes and İzmir Public House) where residents built cooperative housing after major earthquakes. These cases show that when people work together with municipalities and professionals, they can create fairer, more inclusive recovery processes. The study proposes a framework that explains political, practical, and personal responsibilities in rebuilding.
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Why is it important?
Our research reveals that responsibility in post-disaster housing is often framed as the duty of the state alone. This view leads to fast but standardised rebuilding and limits community participation. By analysing alternative cooperative experiences, we show that responsibility in decision-making process can be shared more effectively between public institutions and citizens. This change can make reconstruction more transparent, inclusive, and sustainable. The framework we developed helps researchers and policymakers understand how narratives of responsibility shape real recovery outcomes.
Perspectives
This article is part of my PhD research on post-disaster recovery and housing in Türkiye. I was inspired by the people I met in places recovering from large scale disasters who rebuilt their homes through cooperation and solidarity. Their stories show that responsibility is not only about who builds the houses but also about who takes part in shaping their own life. I hope this study helps highlight the importance of shared responsibility and collective action in creating more just and resilient recovery processes.
Fatma Özdoğan
Universite de Montreal
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Why Aren’t There More Cooperative Housing Construction Projects? An Analysis of Responsibility Framing in Post-Disaster Housing Recovery in Türkiye, E3S Web of Conferences, January 2025, EDP Sciences,
DOI: 10.1051/e3sconf/202565103001.
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