The impact of heritage decline on urban social life

This study explores the impacts of urban change on neighbourhood residents, by exploring the process of change, and by analysing the form of residents' behavioural responses to such change. It is based on the concepts of place identity and place dependence, via a notion of environmental disruption, with a focus on the symbolic meanings associated with the historic city centre of Sulaimaniyah in Kurdistan, Iraq. For this purpose, a qualitative method is used, based on in-depth interviews, focus groups and document analysis. Results indicate a supportive behavioural response to place disruption in cases of threatened place identity and place dependence. The results show that the responses of residents are related to the social value of heritage. These results contribute to the study of behavioural responses towards environmental disruption in relation to the social value of urban heritage.