Binational urbanism has the potential to become one of the most interesting forms of life in the twenty-first century. — Bernd Upmeyer
The Amsterdam-based publishing house trancityxvaliz just released Bernd Upmeyer’s new book entitled “Binational Urbanism – On the Road to Paradise”.
“Never before was the mobility of individuals higher than it is today. People work and live not only in different places, but often even in different countries. Binational Urbanism examines the way of life of people who start a second life in a second city in a second nation-state, without saying goodbye to their first city. They live in constant transit between two homes, between two countries.
Binational urbanists come from all strata of society, from the highly educated and cosmopolitan creative classes to the working class. Through their continuous change of location, binational urbanists appear to be living in a state that is characterized by a constant longing, or a constant homesickness, for the other city. The author interviewed people of Turkish origin currently living in Germany, who commute regularly between cities in Germany and Turkey. These people live, whether deliberately and consciously chosen or not, an innovative urban way of life. They are not rooted residents of their host country Germany, but are in fact extremely mobile and utilise the best of both cultures.
Binational urbanism has the potential to become one of the most interesting forms of life in the twenty-first century. Accordingly, this book creates a theory of binational urbanism that is developed from these interviews.”
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It had proletarian beginnings ( I like footage and the music on this one, but there are tons of documentarian films on it) and Turks never lost their connection to their motherland. Now almost 60 years later you can see the cross breeding in many of Turkish and German cultural conventions and the cities, lifestyles and modernities. Binational Urbanism is an organically grown common market system also. A nonlegislative, unofficial, but strong EU like conventions between Turkey and Germany, to a degree, Netherlands and to a lesser degree other European countries like France, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland. A very interesting development indeed. Maybe it was eventual. Years of resisting from the German government to dual citizenship for immigrants has a big role in it. Sure there are other immigrants in Europe but none as populated and characteristically binational as Turks. Europe is a small continent and takes a three hours flight from one end to the other.
These are all soundbites of much bigger reasons and societal changes. I haven't read the book.
We have our version here between Mexico and USA.
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