Perceptions of Local People Regarding Istanbul as a European Capital of Culture

Istanbul has been declared the European Capital of Culture in 2010, due to its past as the cradle of many civilizations and host to various cultures. Today, Istanbul still includes a variety of cultures, ethnic backgrounds, religions and socio-cultural levels. People with different origins, languages, beliefs and traditions are living together in the city. As Istanbul has received in recent years large numbers of migrants from other parts of Turkey, the gap between the lifestyles of residents has widened. Therefore, this research aims to determine the perceptions of Istanbul’s inhabitants, who have highly diversified identities and lifestyles, regarding the city as a European Capital of Culture. A scale to measure the construct of European Capital of Culture is also proposed.