Today we are witnessing stunning changes and innovations in proportion and simultaneous with the turnover rate of technology on a global scale. In particular, advances made in communication and transportation technologies are removing all borders and although not the end of history, it is asserted that the end of spaces has been reached. In this context, everything located at the other end of the world and considered to be inaccessible start to become near us and lose their meaning. Undoubtedly certain gains and advantages are achieved from every progress. However, losses are not quite realized as long as achievement of gains and advantages continue. For example, with globalization on one hand the world is starting to turn into a "global village" - as expressed by McLuhan - where everyone is informed of one another through communication and transportation technologies and on the other hand the world is becoming a place where different and unique cultures, beliefs, lifestyles and experiences start to melt in the pot of power based on technological progress. In this process being successful and strong are held to be equivalent with “being fast” while on the other hand deprivation and failure are held to be equivalent with “slowness, sluggishness or calmness”. Accordingly, those who wish not to be included in weak, deprived and failed categories try to catch the rhythm of a life based on speed and are thus concerned with catching up with everything and everyone by acting with a sense of “not being late or lacking” in the face of changes or innovations. Here fastness has positive whereas slowness has negative connotations. However, it should not be forgotten that every event or conceptualization should be evaluated in its own context. For example, when someone is told that her/his tumor has made considerable progress, this is not actually a good thing. The same relation could be established between global capital accumulation processes and global warming. In short, action is taken with a sense of drifting, speed itself could enter a phase where we could witness the end of ourselves and the world. In such case, being fast not only does not bring along success, the good and power, but also not guarantee such positive value attributions. Hence, today we also witness many people becoming part of a fast lifestyle by mercilessly acting with the worry and concern of continuously “being late” to something. These people are actually living and acting on behalf of others and are thus late to themselves and their selfhoods within the routine of daily life. For example, it is possible to observe this rush in the name of not being late, from eating habits to greeting, fashion or superficial relations. In such case, we encounter negative cases where being fast is not always a good thing and thus makes sustainability unsustainable. In this sense, this study primarily focuses on slowness and the slow city (Cittaslow) movement and then discusses whether these can constitute an alternative option for urban sustainability. According, this study takes into consideration and makes a comparative analysis of global successful and unsuccessful slow city model practices.
Cittaslow, Slow Cities, Sustainability, UrbanSustainability, Alternative City
