We would like to take a closer look at the process of commercialization and gentrification our campus is undergoing that has gathered pace with the recent opening of a Starbucks, both to remember for ourselves and to make a contribution to Boğaziçi’s collective memory (after all, we have a 148-year-old university). You may not know it, but once there was a student canteen at this school, on the South Campus. It was a place where we could feed ourselves whether we had money or not, in which we could cheer each other up with conversation. It was a student-friendly space that we could call our own.
Although the phrase “process of commercialization and gentrification” sounds abstract, it is a reality that intersects with our story. The ongoing transformation of our campus can be seen in many recent incidents, such as the closure of Orta Kantin in 2008, the attempt to move the student clubs from the center of the university to GYM -- which most of us can’t even find – and the opening of Teknopark with the participation of the prime minister and (naturally) the cops. Although the clubs were kept at their original location thanks to mass demonstrations against the proposed relocation, the gentrification and commercialization of the campus continue apace.
First Akbank, Garanti, Finansbank, Vodafone, İlly Coffee, Robert's Coffee, and Dunkin' Donuts … and now finally Starbucks is on our campus! With the introduction of these global firms, the university has become a market for the commercial activities of multinational corporations. There is enough space for everyone but us: From the CEOs who teach in our school to the employers that scout young employees for their companies. There is no affordable food, no place for having a real conversation, and nobody asks what we want.
We could tell them if they asked us. But, because they have no intention of asking, we must make ourselves heard. We have decided to reclaim our campus. We have simple demands such as cheap and healthy food and the freedom to be somewhere without being obligated to consume. We want free transportation within the campus and we don’t want to have to pay for a certificate to prove we are students. For these reasons, we recently chose to settle in at Starbucks and take a step toward reclaiming what we once had. Now we would like to move forward: On Tuesday, December 6, we will gather in front of the library at 2 p.m. and walk to the Rectorate. After that, we will have a party at Starbucks with our own tea, cake, and börek.
If this is "our" campus, let’s make ourselves at home.
6 DECEMBER TUESDAY
AT 2 PM
FRONT OF LIBRARY
Although the phrase “process of commercialization and gentrification” sounds abstract, it is a reality that intersects with our story. The ongoing transformation of our campus can be seen in many recent incidents, such as the closure of Orta Kantin in 2008, the attempt to move the student clubs from the center of the university to GYM -- which most of us can’t even find – and the opening of Teknopark with the participation of the prime minister and (naturally) the cops. Although the clubs were kept at their original location thanks to mass demonstrations against the proposed relocation, the gentrification and commercialization of the campus continue apace.
First Akbank, Garanti, Finansbank, Vodafone, İlly Coffee, Robert's Coffee, and Dunkin' Donuts … and now finally Starbucks is on our campus! With the introduction of these global firms, the university has become a market for the commercial activities of multinational corporations. There is enough space for everyone but us: From the CEOs who teach in our school to the employers that scout young employees for their companies. There is no affordable food, no place for having a real conversation, and nobody asks what we want.
We could tell them if they asked us. But, because they have no intention of asking, we must make ourselves heard. We have decided to reclaim our campus. We have simple demands such as cheap and healthy food and the freedom to be somewhere without being obligated to consume. We want free transportation within the campus and we don’t want to have to pay for a certificate to prove we are students. For these reasons, we recently chose to settle in at Starbucks and take a step toward reclaiming what we once had. Now we would like to move forward: On Tuesday, December 6, we will gather in front of the library at 2 p.m. and walk to the Rectorate. After that, we will have a party at Starbucks with our own tea, cake, and börek.
If this is "our" campus, let’s make ourselves at home.
6 DECEMBER TUESDAY
AT 2 PM
FRONT OF LIBRARY
Starbucks istiyorum açıkçası ben. İsteyen de bir dolu insan tanıyorum. Öptüm.
YanıtlaSilBiz de starbucks istemiyoruz açıkçası. İstemeyen de bir dolu insan tanıyoruz. öptük cicim.
YanıtlaSilSizin iflah olmaz köylülüğünüz yüzünden güzel kahve içemiycez resmen. I call this a scandal mate.
YanıtlaSilsenin iflah olmaz şehirliliğin yüzünden de ben mağdur olamam kusura bakma. i call this a boycott meeeeeeen. öptüm, again :)
YanıtlaSil