Istanbul: Great Potential or ‘Great Divide’
Dec 17, 2013 Written by Alexander Botting, Guest Contributor
As the only city in the world to ‘naturally’ span two continents, Istanbul has long been considered a major connecting point between Europe and Asia, and vital to trade between the two continents. It also boasts a unique cultural blend as Istanbul’s rich Islamic culture, history, and architecture have merged with more modern, western, and secular influences. More recently, however, the Western and Islamic elements of the city have become increasingly polarized. Without a leader or a philosophy which can unite these two elements, their peaceful co-existence and Turkey’s economic advancement risk being reversed as a ‘great divide’ emerges in Turkish society.
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