Sociology

Mega cities are everywhere, we only explicitly understand their political and economic significance. Much of what makes these super institutions are small rules and norms that make up a bigger culture of perception and a tangible end. Cities are societies glaring examples of success. They symbolize mans evolutionary walk towards a hunting-gathering culture to a more advanced phase, the world of technology and information. Below , an analysis of two chosen mega cities explains the unique histories that serve as functions of their change.

Istanbul
Istanbul was known before as Byzantium and Constantinople is the largest city in Turkey with a population of 12.8 million. Located on the Bosporus Strait, nestled between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, it covers the Golden Horn, which is a natural harbor, in the countrys extreme northwest. The city lies on two continents, on the European side of the Bosporus, Thrace, and on the Asian side, Anatolia (Finkel, 2004).

History
Istanbul has served as the capital city of the many of the worlds greatest empires the Roman Empire (330395), the Byzantine Empire (3951204 and 12611453), the Latin Empire (12041261), and the Ottoman Empire (14531922).

An unknown Neolithic settlement in 6700 BC was considered to be the earliest piece of history that Istanbul can provide. Per record however, the Copper Age period provided the earliest human settlement (5500-3500) BC. Greek settlers advanced in 685 BC and then the Romans in 196 AD. Only until 330 BC that the Romans fully acquired the city and made it its capital (Constantinopolis  Constantinople or The City of Constantine). After the Roman Empire was divided into the two sons of the late ruler, Theodosius I, Constantinople became the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empires capital. Distinctly Greek, the Byzantine gave birth to the Greek Orthodox Christianity (Hunt, 2005).
In 1204 after the Crusades attacked, the city became the center of the Catholic Latin Empires center. Soon, the Byzantine state crumbled and got bankrupt. With this weakness in full view, the Ottoman Turks took the opportunity. Slowly they cornered towns to small cities to bigger cities. On the 29th of May 1453, Sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople after a 53-day siege. Sooner, Constantinople became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Islamism of Constantinople progressed as mosques and monuments were built one after the other. Suleiman the Magnificents reign of the Ottoman Empire (1520-1566) was an era that saw great art and architecture (Hunt, 2005)

In 1923, after  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiMustafa_Kemal_AtatC3BCrk o Mustafa Kemal Atatrk Mustafa Kemal Atatrk founded the Republic of Turkey, the capital was moved to the center of the Anatolian peninsula, Ankara. The mid 1900s made Istanbul several makeshifts as its population increased as cities absorbed more workers from the rural areas (Hunt, 2005). By virtue of its rich, vibrant  and long history, the city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010 (UNESCO, 2010).

Economy
Istanbul is seen as Turkeys center of economic life due to its strategic location, joining Asia and Europe. The sea and land routes that it provides are tested since the early European and Asian history. The city is also Turkeys largest industrial center employing roughly one-fifth of the nations industrial labor. With a mild Mediterranean climate, Istanbul produces cotton, fruit, olive, silk, and even tobacco. Food processing, textiles, oil products, rubber, metals, chemicalspharmaceuticals, glass, electronics, machineryautomotive and transport vehicles, paper products, and alcoholic drinks are just few of its major products (Gareth, 2008)

Education
Istanbul has the finest learning institutions in Turkey, most of which are public universities. Almost all Turkish private high schools and universities in Istanbul teach in English, German or French as the primary foreign language, usually accompanied by a secondary foreign language. The Turkish Ministry of Education manages the schools and universities in Turkey. (History of Istanbul University (Turkish), n.d.)

Health Services
The city has many hospitals and medical centers. Many of these centers have high-tech equipment so cheap (in service) a medical tourism to Istanbul from West European countries has occurred. Governments from visiting countries send poor patients to the city for the inexpensive treatment. (D1_ Ekonomik 0li_kiler Kurulu, 2006)

Culture and Norms A Short Analysis
Globalization has been the driving force of Istanbul s bustling daily scene as foreigners from all walks of life converge to the city between two continents. Economic advancements have brought this city new gold as the city progresses. In general Turkish culture especially traditional ones, these developments would clutter an old paradigm used to the cultures of the past and the influence of Islam. These may reflect the resurgence of elements that have been repressed in Turkish culture during the Republican period. There is now what we call as the coexistence of two Istanbuls that being engineered from above by the urban elites and that which is rising from below as a result of the new cultural dynamics.(Robins and Aksoy, 1995)

Norms in Istanbul can be seen as the new meets the old or the religion meets the market. It is imminent in every society that experienced a long struggle of religious and political waves that somehow defined the face of the people, and how they perceive the future would be. Istanbuls unique location in Europe (or Asia) gives it a beacon of institutional change. The comings and goings of empires in its history gave it a multicultural definition of society.

Munich
Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, located on the River  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiIsar o Isar Isar north of the  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiNorthern_Limestone_Alps o Northern Limestone Alps Bavarian Alps. With approximately having more than 6.4 million people living in the city, it ranks as the third largest city in Germany. The citys name was Benedictine in origin, hence the monk depicted on  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiCoat_of_arms_of_Munich o Coat of arms of Munich the citys coat of arms. Black and gold is citys official colors since the time of  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiLouis_IV,_Holy_Roman_Emperor o Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian.

History
Munich was founded in 1158, the earliest date the city was ever mentioned in an historical document which was signed in Augsburg. Two decades later in 1175, Munich became a city and was walled. In 1180, it was handed to the Bishop of Freising thru  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiOtto_I_of_Wittelsbach,_Duke_of_Bavaria o Otto I of Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria Otto I Wittelsbach. Until 1918, his heir would rule Bavaria.(McNeill, 1999)
After World War I, life in Germany was difficult. In 1916, the French bombed the city leaving chaos on its path. Political unrest ensued. In early 1919, the Bavarian Soviet Republic after the first republican premier was murdered. The Soviet occupied the city but was soon put down in the same year. From those events however came the rise of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialism movement. After the 1920s struggle of the Nazi Party and its proponent, Hitler, the city once again found the Third Reichs dominance in all facets of Munich life until the 1940s. (McNeill, 1999)

Postwar Munich was not like the late 1910s. Damage was heavier as 71 total air raids destroyed the city. After the Americans occupied Munich in 1945, the city was completely rebuilt. By the 1950s, the city reached its 1 millionth resident. After the controversial 1972 Olympics, when Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists, Munich, by and large, has enjoyed prosperity be it in economics, environment and academics. (McNeill, 1999)

Economy
Munich is Germanys largest city, with a population of 1.37 million within the city
limits and 5.48 million in the European Metropolitan Region Munich. It has the lowest unemployment rate of any German city, and has a  26,301 per capita, which is 38.4 percent higher than the German average. Munichs local government invested  717 million in 2008, the highest in Germany.

The city has a diverse economic structure (Allianz, BMW, Munich Re and MAN have headquarters here) due to a mix of traditional industries and fast-growing innovative sectors in its economy. Over 850 foreign companies have a branch in the city. The city also houses over 300,000 foreign expats. Munich offers an exhilarating quality of life and has cultivated a climate of openness and tolerance. It has the lowest crime rate among German cities and a record of over 100 million visitors visit the beautiful city every year.(www.wirtschaft-muenchen.de)

Health Services
The medical services offered in Munich are wide-ranging and are of the highest quality. Hospitals are equipped with the latest state-of-the-art diagnostic technology. Outpatient and day-patient diagnostics and therapy are highly prioritized as optimized methods and a comprehensive range of diagnostic procedures minimize the time patients are required to expend.( www.muenchen.de)
Munich is one of Europes leading medical competence centers. Two top-of-the-line university hospitals, Munich General Hospital with its four large hospitals covering the entire city, and 50 public and private clinics contribute to this enviable reputation. Nationally and internationally, the city ranks with the best, whether in terms of research, diagnostics, or treatment in any medical discipline. More than 13,000 hospital beds and 5,000 physicians await any local, a service that is nearly unparalleled in Europe. (www.muenchen.de)

Education
Munich houses the biggest system of adult education centers in Europe, 30 libraries with 3 million books and magazines, and the Literaturhaus (House for Literature) which is a place for exhibitions, readings, discussions, workshops (www.muenchen.de). More so, Munich is home to many of the worlds leading educational and research institutions (like the Max Planck Society). Replete with Nobel laureates, the universities are esteemed as the leading science and research locations in Europe and the world.

Culture and Norms A Short Analysis
Munichs highly developed socio-economics is one to envy in the developing world. The advent of two world wars has somehow made it a keeper of peace and knowledge. Endowed with all the amenities of a peaceful and healthy life, Munich enjoys a social outcome that seeks to develop and improve lives. After all the damage the wars had done, and Hitlers echoing story notwithstanding, the country, much less the city of Munich, recovered a distinct culture of which they have brought since time began to record history. Their Nobel laureates attest to a culture of knowledge that is workable and perpetuating (see the Max Plancks institutes).

Comparatives
Munich and Istanbul are two worlds apart when it comes to what they have basically ended up. Essentially, same thick history served as the initial conditions to remain and develop as a city that is provident. The slight difference is the nature of the history they had. Both sporadic, Munich was humbled by the World Wars, while Istanbul had to play with the oddities of religion. The economies of both are far and different. Munich uses its science and research to come up with the most efficient products. Education is another big difference. Universities in Munich are all about quality while Istanbuls, still on the verge of breaking the monopoly of the American and European universities. Good research and education should on most part transcend to good healthcare. Munich is another classy example of efficient welfare programs. Istanbul, although better than the rest of Turkey has to need help from pricing economics to end up successful and sociologically relevant.

These two mega cities are living up to expectations as one of the cities to watch. Located on both ends of the European continent, they are growing with respect to the demands of the ever-changing make-up of society. Living on the borders of the most politically unstable region in the world, the Mid East, Istanbul is faced by the toils of this place and the triumphs of the West. Munich lies at the middle of that triumph, a haven of that social paradigm that is bent to develop the person and his institutions.