Mapping Urban Networks: Spatial Relations of Political Actors in Ankara

This article explores the relationship between space and politics by analyzing the spatial representations and practices of political actors in Turkey. It argues how these actors generate collective dispositions constituting a political habitus, conceptualized as relational and spatially mediated phenomena, drawing on Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, Lefebvre’s theory of the social production of space, and de Certeau’s notion of tactics. Focusing on the city center of Ankara, the study maps recurring mobilization and the urban positions of trade unions and professional chambers (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey [DİSK], Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions [KESK], Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects [TMMOB], and Turkish Medical Association [TTB]) that have organized a collective opposition against power since the 2000s, linking them to public spaces where mass actions occurred. Findings reveal that urban spaces not only reflect power relations but also actively structure opportunities for resistance and civic engagement, highlighting the interplay between structure, habitus, and action. The study contributes to understanding how urban areas become politicized and how social opposition acquires spatial form.