Deprivation Analysis in Turkey and Its Provinces: Insights for Post-Growth Urbanism

Abstract

This paper develops a Turkish Composite Deprivation Index (TCDI) to evaluate multidimensional deprivation across all 81 provinces of Turkey by adapting the methodology of the English Indices of Deprivation to Turkish national statistics. Using 2023 data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), the study constructs seven deprivation domains: income, employment, education, health, crime and social distress, barriers to housing, and living environment. Domain-specific indicators are normalised, weighted, and aggregated to produce both individual domain rankings and a composite deprivation index. The analysis reveals a persistent east–west divide, with southeastern and eastern provinces such as Şanlıurfa, Ağrı, Şırnak, and Mardin consistently exhibiting the highest levels of deprivation across multiple dimensions, while provinces including İstanbul, Ankara, Kocaeli, and Eskişehir show the lowest deprivation levels. The study demonstrates the value of objective, data-driven measures for identifying regional inequalities, supporting equitable resource allocation, and informing planning policy. It also contributes to debates on post-growth urbanism by highlighting the structural roots of socio-economic disadvantage and the need for socially responsive and territorially balanced planning strategies.