Urban Economics, Urban Vitality and Affordable Housing
Research synopsis
Sahel's research interests lie at the intersection of urban geography, migration, housing, and the political economy of urban development. Her work examines how state policies, housing markets, real estate development, affordability, social networks, and local conditions shape immigrants’ neighborhood choices and their experiences within cities. Her current dissertation research focuses on Istanbul, Turkey, exploring how migration governance, construction-led development, housing conditions, and neighborhood-level regulations influence where immigrant communities choose to live, work, and establish businesses, as well as the reasoning behind these decisions. More broadly, her research engages with questions of spatial inequality, urban informality, housing financialization, and uneven urban development, particularly in rapidly changing cities and the Global South. As a licensed architect, her broader interests also extend to urban design, architecture, and the role of the built environment in shaping urban experience.
