Theoretical background and research approach

Abstract

Different concepts and definitions from a range of scientific disciplines are related to memory, identity and attachment. Increasingly, such concepts are introduced in urban areas, based on the premise that people link to certain objects which are part of the urban identity and make a city unique. Such assets are manifold and combine built and non-built spaces, in other words tangible and intangible, places and place attachment. Since around two decades, the contribution of heritage to the formation of urban identity is as well considered in international heritage studies. Urban heritage and its manifold expressions are addressed in different studies from the Euro-American or Western context, and a growing number of research and case studies on cities and areas in the Global South. In this research, a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods is applied, including field surveys, questionnaires and expert interviews. A subsequent comparative analysis was done to assess potential similarities and differences among the three case studies, namely Kathmandu in Nepal, Yogyakarta in Indonesia and Recife in Brazil, three cities which still comprise of a historic core area.