6 research outputs found
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Detroit in Decline: An investigation into the dynamics of two urban neighbourhoods
Urban decline is often understood as the opposite of urban growth, yet this conceptualization is oversimplified, obscuring a genuine understanding of the social and spatial realities of the city today. Through the study of Detroit and, in particular, through a close reading of two residential neighbourhoods, this dissertation investigates the complexities of decline. It examines the development of decline over time, as well as how it has differentially affected social and spatial patterns and practices within the city. This dissertation approaches the topic by engaging with theoretical work on decline, as well as combining historical analysis with empirical evidence through extensive on-site research.
This work traces the historical development of Detroit from the beginning of the twentieth century through to the present day, focusing on the role of public policies, land-use patterns and infrastructural development in laying the foundations for urban decline. It challenges the accepted narrative of the cycle of ‘boom-bust-boom’, which views the city in terms of ‘growth-decline-recovery’, by illustrating how Detroit’s decline today is a resumption of various structural changes that were made during the city’s critical period of physical, economic and demographic growth.
This dissertation then investigates two contrasting neighbourhoods to illustrate the dynamic ways in which different areas of the city have been affected by, and responded to, decline: Brightmoor, the epitome of widespread decay and abandonment, and Grandmont Rosedale, a community of five neighbourhoods that has maintained relative stability. This analysis demonstrates how urban decline transforms the city—dismantling and disassembling existing spatial and social networks and infrastructures—while simultaneously creating new ones. It deviates from much of the current research that romanticises Detroit’s ruination by focusing instead on everyday urban life. This dissertation argues that decline is not simply the opposite of growth, and therefore current scenarios speculating full recovery appear problematic
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Spirit, mind and body: the archaeology of monastic healing
Archaeology and material culture are used in this chapter to consider how monastic experience responded to illness, ageing and disability. The approach taken is influenced by the material study of religion, which interrogates how bodies and things engage to construct the sensory experience of religion, and by practice-based approaches in archaeology, which examine the active role of space and material culture in shaping religious agency and embodiment. The archaeology of monastic healing focuses on the full spectrum of healing technologies, from managing the body in order to prevent illness, through to the treatment of the sick and preparation of the corpse for burial
Hagia Sophia en Estambul: retos en la gestión de lugares sagrados
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 as a part of the Old City of Istanbul. The site’s Outstanding Universal Value ‘resides in its unique integration of architectural masterpieces that reflect the meeting of Europe and Asia over many centuries, and in its incomparable skyline formed by the creative genius of Byzantine and Ottoman architects’ (UNESCO 2013). However, a simple taxonomic classification of Hagia Sophia as a museum or an architectural masterpiece that aesthetically tells the story of the city’s multilayered, cross-cultural past, falls short of providing answers that relate to its religious history and how those relationships with the building have shifted over time. Hagia Sophia is more than just a fossilized site boasting some of the finest examples of Byzantine and Islamic art and architecture; instead, it carries with it a sense of place that is related to people’s sense of identity. Although the building now serves a secular function, it is still imbued with a spiritual heritage seen by many Muslims and Christians who recognize this building as part of their religious histories. Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum in 1935 following the secularization of Turkey. Since then, the management approach towards Hagia Sophia has fit into the framework of what is termed the Authorized Heritage Discourse, disregarding any ascribed sacred values that many still attribute to the site. However, Hagia Sophia is continuously imbued with value and meanings, which I argue, make it a site of Living Heritage as defined by ICCROM, presenting a unique challenge for heritage managers. With a history so integral to two religions, we must consider the ways in which this structure is being managed and the implications that has on the communities with whom it resonates. This paper will examine the history of Hagia Sophia, focusing on how the building’s symbolism and function is called into question, and certain managerial decisions that emphasize the disjuncture between managing the building as a museum and as a religious space, de-emphasizing the building’s role as either or. I will then argue that Hagia Sophia should be considered living heritage yet I contend that the current methods in place for managing living heritage do not adequately address the issues present at Hagia Sophia. By tracing the problem areas within the current management systems, this presentation suggests a potential solution to managing the needs of Hagia Sophia.Hagia Sophia, en Estambul, fue inscrita en la lista de Patrimonio Mundial de la Unesco en 1985 como parte de la Antigua ciudad de Estambul. El Valor Excepcional Universal del sitio ‘reside en su integración única de obras maestras de la arquitectura que reflejan la unión de Europa y Asia a lo largo de los siglos, y en su incomparable perfil formado por el genio creativo de arquitectos otomanos y bizantinos’ (UNESCO 2013). Sin embargo, una simple clasificación taxonómica de Hagia Sophia como un museo o una obra maestra que cuenta estéticamente la historia del pasado diverso e intercultural de la ciudad, no es suficiente para proporcionar las respuestas relacionadas con su historia religiosa y con cómo esas relaciones con el edificio lo han cambiado a lo largo del tiempo. Hagia Sophia es más que un simple lugar fosilizado, muestra algunos de los mejores ejemplos del arte y la arquitectura bizantina e
islámica; de hecho, lleva consigo un sentido de pertenencia que está vinculado con el sentido de identidad de la gente. Aunque el edificio tiene ahora una función secular, todavÃa sigue imbuido con un patrimonio espiritual visto por muchos musulmanes y cristianos quienes reconocen a este edificio como parte de sus historias religiosas. Hagia Sophia fue convertida en museo en 1935 tras la secularización de TurquÃa. Desde entonces, el tratamiento patrimonial de Hagia Sophia se ha encuadrado en lo que se conoce como el Discurso Patrimonial Autorizado (Authorized Heritage Discourse), sin considerar los valores sagrados asignados que todavÃa muchos siguen atribuyendo al lugar. Sin embargo, Hagia Sophia está continuamente imbuida con valor y significados que, como argumento, convierten al lugar en un Patrimonio Viviente como es definido por el ICRROM, presentando un desafÃo único para los gestores patrimoniales. Con una historia tan integral para dos religiones, debemos considerar las maneras en las
cuales esta estructura está siendo gestionada y las implicaciones que esto tiene sobre las comunidades en las que resuena.Este trabajo examinará la historia de Hagia Sophia centrándose en cómo el simbolismo del edificio y su función son puestos en duda y en ciertas decisiones de
gestión que enfatizan la disyuntiva entre gestionar el edificio como un museo y como un espacio religioso, restándole importancia al papel del edificio como lo uno o lo otro. Sostengo a continuación que Hagia Sophia deberá ser considerado patrimonio viviente aunque afirmo que los métodos actuales en práctica para gestionar el
patrimonio viviente no abordan adecuadamente las cuestiones presentadas en Hagia Sophia. A través del seguimiento de las áreas problemáticas dentro de los
sistemas actuales de gestión, esta presentación sugiere una solución potencial para gestionar las necesidades de Hagia Sophia.Depto. de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y ArqueologÃaFac. de GeografÃa e HistoriaTRUEMinisterio de EconomÃa y Competitividad (MINECO)pu