SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Yönetim ve Ekonomi: Celal Bayar Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 33 Sayı: 1

A Place Between Existence and Oblivion: The Ghost City

Varla Yok Arasında Bir Yer: Hayalet Kent

Enes Yalçın

Pages
61–78
Publication Date
2026-03-18
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗

Abstract

This study examines the concept of ghost cities, including their definition, formation processes, underlying causes, global examples, and revitalisation strategies. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this research demonstrates that ghost cities typically emerge due to factors such as natural disasters, human-induced disasters, economic collapse, administrative decisions, warfare, and unrealistic housing projects. The primary objective of this article is to systematically analyse the formation mechanisms of ghost cities and assess the approaches developed for their refunctionalization. By presenting case studies from diverse geographical contexts, the study seeks to highlight the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon. In this regard, the study is expected to contribute to fields such as urban planning, sustainable development, urban identity, and heritage management. It underscores that ghost cities should not merely be perceived as abandoned areas but rather as potential sites for revitalisation projects. Furthermore, examining the strategies employed for the revitalisation of ghost cities can serve as a valuable reference for urban areas that may encounter similar challenges in the future. Key Words: Ghost City, Disaster, War, Economic Collapse, Revitalisation JEL Classification: R11, R14, R23

Özet

ÖZ Bu çalışma, hayalet kent kavramını ele alarak, bu tür kentlerin tanımlanmasını, oluşum süreçlerini, ortaya çıkış nedenlerini, dünya genelindeki örneklerini ve yeniden canlandırılma stratejilerini incelemektedir. Literatür taramasına dayalı olarak yürütülen bu araştırma, hayalet kentlerin genellikle doğal afet, insan kaynaklı afet, ekonomik çöküş, idari karar, savaş ve gerçekçi olmayan konut projeleri gibi faktörlerin bir sonucu olarak ortaya çıktığını göstermektedir. Makalenin amacı, hayalet kentlerin oluşum mekanizmalarını sistematik bir çerçevede analiz etmek ve bu kentlerin yeniden işlevselleştirilmesi için geliştirilen yaklaşımları değerlendirmektir. Çalışma, farklı coğrafyalarda bulunan hayalet kent örnekleri üzerinden bu fenomenin çeşitliliğini ortaya koymayı hedeflemektedir. Bu bağlamda, çalışmanın kentsel planlama, sürdürülebilir kalkınma, kent kimliği ve kentsel miras yönetimi gibi alanlara katkı sağlaması beklenmektedir. Çalışma, hayalet kentlerin yalnızca terk edilmiş alanlar olarak değerlendirilmenin ötesinde, potansiyel yeniden canlandırma projeleri için birer fırsat alanı olarak görülmesi gerektiğini vurgulamaktadır. Hayalet kentlerin yeniden canlandırılmasına yönelik gerçekleştirilen stratejilerin irdelenmesinin, gelecekte benzer süreçlerle karşılaşabilecek kentler için yol gösterici olabileceği düşünülmektedir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Hayalet Kent, Afet, Savaş, Ekonomik Çöküş, Yeniden Canlandırma JEL Sınıflandırması: R11, R14, R23

Keywords
🔖

Cite This Article

Yalçın, E. (2026). A Place Between Existence and Oblivion: The Ghost City. Yönetim ve Ekonomi: Celal Bayar Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 33 Sayı: 1, 61–78. https://doi.org/10.18657/yonveek.1704473

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

↗New Tab

Loading PDF document...

References (53)

  1. Abplanalp, J. (2023). The history and geology of the Bodie ghost town. Mammoth Lakes California, It was accessed on February 24, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.visitmammoth.com/blogs/history-and-geology-bodie-ghost-town/
  2. Alaedini, P. and Yeganeh, N. (2022). New-town programs and housing schemes: A case of mutual path dependence in Iran. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 37(3), 1607–1642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-021-09912-2
  3. Apel, D. (2015). Beautiful terrible ruins: Detroit and the anxiety of decline. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
  4. Arsoy, A. and Başarır, H. (2019). Post-war re-settlements in Varosha: Paradise to ghetto. Open House International, 44(2), 52-61. https://doi.org/10.1108/OHI-02-2019-B0007
  5. Aykan, B. (2024). From “living in history” to “ghost town”: Hasankeyf’s lost social values, Heritage & Society, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159032X.2024.2409048
  6. Ballantyne, P. (2001). Unsettled country: Reading the Australian ghost town, Journal of Australian Studies, 25(70), 33-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/14443050109387703
  7. Beehner, L. (2011). Chernobyl opens for tours. Nbc News, It was accessed on February 18, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42919502
  8. Benden, L. (2021). Walking the streets of a nuclear ghost town: Dark tourism in Pripyat: Chernobyl Master's thesis, Universidade Catolica Portuguesa (Portugal). It was accessed on February 18, 2025, from the following URL: https://repositorio.ucp.pt/bitstream/10400.14/38113/1/202964833.pdf
  9. Bourgault, B. (2022). Lost Towns of the Quabbin Reservoir. NewEngland.com, It was accessed on February 6, 2025, from the following URL: https://newengland.com/yankee/history/lost-towns-quabbin-reservoir/
  10. Chi, G., Liu, Y., Wu, Z. and Wu, H. (2015). Ghost cities analysis based on positioning data in China. arXiv preprint https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1510.08505
  11. Çetinkaya, B. and Rehimov, R. (2020). Ağdamlılar 'hayalet şehre' dönen memleketlerini görkemli günleriyle hatırlıyor. Anadolu Ajansı, It was accessed on February 9, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/azerbaycan-cephe-hatti/agdamlilar-hayalet-sehre-donen-memleketlerini-gorkemli-gunleriyle-hatirliyor/2058743
  12. Çınar, S. (2024). “As if architecture” in Türkiye: Reflections on the Burj al Babas project. Turkish Journal of Sense of Place and Urban Studies, 2(1), 51-67. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12581497
  13. dell’Agnese, E. (2015). Dark tourism and memory tourism: From schadenfreude to »global citizenship«. In A. Gosar, M. Koderman, & M. Rodela (Eds.), Dark Tourism: PostWWI Destinations of Human Tragedies and Opportunities for Tourism Development - Proceedings of the International Workshop (pp. 87–93). Koper: University of Primorska Press. It was accessed on February 18, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.hippocampus.si/ISBN/978-961-6963-28-2.pdf
  14. Duda, A. (2023). Tourist photography and heritage. The case of the abandoned city of Pripyat. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 18(3), 384–400. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2022.2161907
  15. Dufraigne, A. (2024). Inside a ghost town in Italy that's been abandoned since the 1970s. Architectural Digest, It was accessed on February 9, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/inside-a-ghost-town-in-italy-thats-been-abandoned-since-the-1970s/
  16. Farmer, S. B. (1995). Oradour-sur-Glane: Memory in a preserved landscape. French Historical Studies, 19(1), 27–47. https://doi.org/10.2307/286898
  17. Foley, M. and Lennon, J. J. (1996). JFK and dark tourism: A fascination with assassination. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2(4), 198–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527259608722175
  18. Ge, W., Yang, H., Zhu, X., Ma, M. and Yang, Y. (2018). Ghost city extraction and rate estimation in China based on NPP-VIIRS night-time light data. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 7(6), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi7060219
  19. Gentry, M. J. (2008). The birth of a Texas ghost town - Thurber, 1886–1933. Texas: A&M University Press.
  20. https://www.romecabs.com/ (2025). It was accessed on March 5, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.romecabs.com/blog/docs/the-ghost-city-of-herculaneum-between-beauty-and-history/
  21. https://www.bodie.com/ (2025). It was accessed on February 24, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.bodie.com/
  22. Hunder, M. (2019). HBO show success drives Chernobyl tourism boom. Reuters, It was accessed on February 18, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukrainechernobyl-tourism-idUSKCN1T51MF
  23. İşçioğlu, D. (2024). Kullanılmayan mekânlar üzerine bir kavram tartışması: Kıbrıs Maraş Bölgesi örneği. Amme İdaresi Dergisi, 57(4), 35-48.
  24. Jin, X., Long, Y., Sun, W., Lu, Y., Yang, X. and Tang, J. (2017). Evaluating cities' vitality and identifying ghost cities in China with emerging geographical data. Cities, 63, 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.01.002
  25. Leichtle, T., Lakes, T., Zhu, X. X. and Taubenböck, H. (2019). Has Dongying developed to a ghost city?-Evidence from multi-temporal population estimation based on VHR remote sensing and census counts. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 78, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2019.101372
  26. Light, D. (2017). Progress in dark tourism and thanatourism research: An uneasy relationship with heritage tourism. Tourism Management, 61, 275–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.01.011
  27. Ma, X., Tong, X., Liu, S., Li, C. and Ma, Z. (2018). A multisource remotely sensed data oriented method for “ghost city” phenomenon identification. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 11(7), 2310-2319. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2018.2824302
  28. Marlia, M. A., Fahmy, R., Lukito, H., Prima Lita, R. and Rahim, R. (2020). Visionary leadership role: Building a ghost town civilization. International Journal of Management (IJM), 11(1), 31-55.
  29. McKie, R. (2011). Chernobyl – a poisoned landscape. Guardian News and Media Limited, It was accessed on February 10, 2025, from the following URL: https://dialogue.earth/en/energy/4234-chernobyl-a-poisoned-landscape/
  30. Nie, X. Y. and Liu, X. J. (2013). Types of “ghost towns” in the process of urbanization and countermeasures, J. Nantong Univ. (Social Sci.), 29, 111–117.
  31. Nuredin, A. (2021). Urbicide in the context of international law and example of urbicide in 21st century “Karabag”. In G. Ilik & A. Stanojoska (Eds.), International scientific conference “towards a better future: State and society” (pp. 347-358). Bitola.
  32. Otede, U. (2017). Kangbashi: The richest ‘ghost town’in China. China Story Year Book: Prosperity. https://doi.org/10.22459/CSY.04.2018.02C
  33. Peacock, J. (2013). Lost Argentine town re-emerges from lake. BBC News, It was accessed on February 6, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-latin-america-22492104
  34. Prideaux, B. and Timothy, D. J. (2010). From mining boom towns to tourist haunts: The ghost town life cycle. In M. V. Conlin & L. Jolliffe (Eds.), Mining heritage and tourism (pp. 249-260). Oxon: Routledge.
  35. Rousseau, M. and Harroud, T. (2019). Satellite cities turned to ghost towns? On the contradictions of Morocco’s spatial policy. International Planning Studies, 24(3–4), 341–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2019.1665500
  36. Sharpley, R., and Stone, P. R. (2009). The darker side of travel: The theory and practice of dark tourism (Vol. 41). Channel view publications.
  37. Shepard, W. (2015). Ghost cities of China: The story of cities without people in the world’s most populated country. London: Zed Books.
  38. Stone, P. R. (2006). A dark tourism spectrum: Towards a typology of death and macabre related tourist sites, attractions and exhibitions. Tourism: An International Interdisciplinary Journal, 54(2), 145-160.
  39. Strazdes, D. (2013). The display of ruins: Lessons from the ghost town of Bodie. Change Over Time, 3(2), 222-243. https://doi.org/10.1353/cot.2013.0011
  40. Su, X. (2014). Rank of ghost cities in 2014. . It was accessed on February 15, 2025, from the following URL: http://house.ifeng.com/detail/2014_10_12/50060123_0.shtml
  41. Torlak, S. E. (2016). Gaining ghost town of tourism economics Northern Cyprus Varosha city. European Scientific Journal, 12(10), 236-251. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n10p%25p
  42. VOA Documentary (2023). The last man of Epecuen. It was accessed on February 6, 2025, from the following URL: https://www.voanews.com/a/the-last-man-of-epecuen/7414698.html
  43. Wang, Q., Li, R. and Cheong, K. C. (2019). Shandong’s Yintan town and China’s “ghost city” phenomenon. Sustainability, 11(17), 4584. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174584
  44. Williams, S., Xu, W., Tan, S. B., Foster, M. J. and Chen, C. (2019). Ghost cities of China: Identifying urban vacancy through social media data. Cities, 94, 275-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2019.05.006
  45. Wood, A. F. (2020). Haunting ruins in a western ghost town: Authentic violence and recursive gaze at Bodie, California, Western Journal of Communication, 84:4, 439-456. https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2020.1721556
  46. Woodworth, M. D. (2020) Picturing urban China in ruin: “Ghost city” photography and speculative urbanization, GeoHumanities, 6(2), 233-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/2373566X.2020.1825110
  47. Woodworth, M. D. and Wallace, J. L. (2017). Seeing ghosts: Parsing China’s “ghost city” controversy. Urban Geography, 38(8), 1270–1281.
  48. Wu, J., Gyourko, J. and Deng, Y. (2016). Evaluating the risk of Chinese housing markets: What we know and what we need to know. China Economic Review, 39, 91–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2016.03.008
  49. Xu, D. (2015). The ghost city of China: A revitalization strategy for Ordos, Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  50. Yin, D., Qian, J. and Zhu, H. (2017). Living in the “ghost city”: Media discourses and the negotiation of home in Ordos, inner Mongolia, China. Sustainability, 9(11), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9112029
  51. Yin, G., Liu, Y. and Chen, Y. (2024). “Ghost city” or habitable city? The production and transformation of space in China's new towns. Cities, 145, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104678
  52. Zhao, S. and Ma, D. (2017). Ghost city phenomenon along China's high-speed railway grid. International Journal of Sustainable Society, 9(3), 210-225. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSSOC.2017.088307
  53. Zheng, Q., Deng, J., Jiang, R., Wang, K., Xue, X., Lin, Y., ... and Shahtahmassebi, A. R. (2017). Monitoring and assessing “ghost cities” in Northeast China from the view of nighttime light remote sensing data. Habitat International, 70, 34-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2017.10.005