Beginning in 1922, an influx of ethnic Greek refugees from Asia Minor arrived in Greece,
roughly doubling the population of the Athens area at the time. The technologies employed to
house these refugees have had lasting impacts on urban design, in addition to socio-economic
effects for the residents. Choices such as placing refugee settlements outside of the existing
urban areas, or providing families with only minimal living space and utilities, have shaped
development in these areas. Over time, refugees and their descendants have adapted the housing
settlements to fit their needs via the construction of illegal extensions, the redesign of indoor
spaces, and the modification of public outdoor spaces.
In order to study these interactions and expand the present literature, this thesis combines
literature review with refugee testimonies of living conditions and public opinion data from
today’s inhabitants. By looking at the experience of housing Asia Minor Refugees in the 1920s
and 1930s from an STS perspective, we see key areas of improvement that can help address
current and future refugee inflows. Particularly, we find that an STS approach can be employed
to address both the housing of migrants currently in Greece and the remaining issues related to
the original Asia Minor Refugee settlements.Beginning in 1922, an influx of ethnic Greek refugees from Asia Minor arrived in Greece,
roughly doubling the population of the Athens area at the time. The technologies employed to
house these refugees have had lasting impacts on urban design, in addition to socio-economic
effects for the residents. Choices such as placing refugee settlements outside of the existing
urban areas, or providing families with only minimal living space and utilities, have shaped
development in these areas. Over time, refugees and their descendants have adapted the housing
settlements to fit their needs via the construction of illegal extensions, the redesign of indoor
spaces, and the modification of public outdoor spaces.
In order to study these interactions and expand the present literature, this thesis combines
literature review with refugee testimonies of living conditions and public opinion data from
today’s inhabitants. By looking at the experience of housing Asia Minor Refugees in the 1920s
and 1930s from an STS perspective, we see key areas of improvement that can help address
current and future refugee inflows. Particularly, we find that an STS approach can be employed
to address both the housing of migrants currently in Greece and the remaining issues related to
the original Asia Minor Refugee settlements
