Examining awareness of heritage in Greek traditional settlements

Abstract

In view of more democratic and participatory approaches to heritage, in general, and to urban heritage in more particular, research on people's perceptions of heritage is crucial in understanding what constitutes heritage and for whom. This paper examines awareness of heritage in the context of traditional settlements in central Greece. Focusing on experts' and residents' perceptions in six settlements, this paper examines whether people are aware of heritage and asks of what they are particularly aware. The research reveals similarities and differences among different groups of people, indicating the pluralistic views on heritage and the need to take them into consideration when shaping conservation policies. The paper goes beyond the nature of similarities and differences, bringing to the surface the factors that may affect awareness of heritage, indicating that these are not fixed, but that they may lie both internally and externally to the individual aspects and his/her relationship with heritage.