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Technological advancement has not been equally distributed. It has differed from country to country, region to region, and even among individuals. As a result, the digital divide has emerged as an umbrella term to represent these disparities. Recently, the research focus has shifted to the outcomes of information and communication technology usage or tangible benefits (the third-level digital divide). As an emerging economy, Türkiye must overcome the digital divide to maximise tangible benefits. Thus, this research starts by determining the digital divide indicators for Türkiye and goes further to examine the digital divide between regions in Türkiye. The main aim is to present a comprehensive index for the regional scale that is currently missing in the literature. To do so, this research starts with exploring the digital divide indicators. Then, with the help of principal component analysis (PCA), a new index is formulated for Türkiye. The result maps indicate digital inequalities both at regional and city scales, yet inequalities are more remarkable at the city scale. Increasing the diversity of technology usage, focusing on gender equality, expanding R&D expenditures, and supporting initiatives, especially ICT initiatives, will assist Türkiye in reducing digital inequalities.

Although neighbourhood ties have diminishing roles in people’s lives because the modern metropolis presents so much choice for its residents, they have not completely disappeared, especially for some groups. In metropolitan cities, migrants settle in the areas where other migrants from the same origin live. This situation represents more than socioeconomic factors, and the relationship forms that migrants maintain within and outside their neighbourhoods could be different from one migrant group to another. The aim of this study is to understand the importance of neighbourhood ties in the networks of the migrants in Istanbul, and to examine the type of ties by their geographical locations. According to the results of the analysis which demonstrates the concentration of different migrant groups in the districts of Istanbul, the focus is on the international migrants who came from Macedonia and old Yugoslavian countries (Sandzak region) and who live in Bayrampasa and Besiktas, and internal migrants who came from the biggest metropolitan city Ankara and its border city of Eskisehir and who live in Besiktas. By using personal network analysis, the study comparatively analyses the migrants’ neighbourhood ties by the characteristics of the migrants and by type of their local and nonlocal ties. The results reveal a difference between the migrant groups regarding their dependence on neighbourhood ties and the type of ties that are distributed along different geographical locations

This paper aims to (i) investigate the crucial role of marine trade, (ii) reveal the main characteristics and the integrating role of ports, (iii) analyze the networks of ports serving at the international level, produce route maps, and examine transportation corridors affecting the BSEC region that constitutes a significant part of Southeast Europe. In this context, we have carried out the social network analysis (SNA), which allows an understanding of the network structure, social dynamics, trends, and the actors' effects in the network. According to SNA, Romania – Constanta Port, Bulgaria – Burgas Port, Ukraine – Chornomorsk Port, Russian Federation – Novorossiysk Port, Georgia – Batumi Port, and Turkey – Samsunport are the most prominent ports of the region. Due to the features they have and their involvement in international transportation projects, the ports are a tool for directing/accelerating foreign trade and marine traffic and developing economic cooperation between countries in the Black Sea Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to strengthen the urban rights and quality of life of vulnerable groups by contributing to the development of a new approach and standards in urban social services. Toward this goal, we present the socially innovative service model (SISM) which ensures a framework of daytime care and support centers for disabled individuals established in the Eyüp district, wherein generally the lower and lower-middle classes of Istanbul reside. SISM provides an important perspective on rights-based social policies as well as community and city interaction, thereby enabling interdisciplinary study of social sciences and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]