Sense of Place as a Factor in Influencing Heritage Engagement in Youth

<p>In recent years, there has been growing concern about heritage conservation in Guangzhou. The government has gradually launched projects like the Duo Bao Road Historical and Cultural Neighborhood Conservation and Utilization Plan. Policies such as Guangzhou Historic City Plan and Regulations on the PRC Protection of Historic and Cultural Towns and Villages are also issued in recent years. </p><p></p><p>However, criticism of the inefficiency and inadequate respect to the integrity of these approaches in heritage conservation have emerged in recent years. Under such circumstances, it is useful to look into individuals’ opinions towards the heritage places. Hearing from residents and identifying the aspects of heritage that people actually perceive and care for may help related sectors better develop conservation plans and to engage local communities in conservation. </p><p></p><p>This dissertation explores how individuals living in historic neighborhood care about the surrounding environment, places and heritage by using the concept of “sense of place”. It aims to fill the research gap by studying the correlation between the conservation willingness of residents and their “sense of place” in the historic district. Literature reviews explore the use of “sense of place” in heritage conservation and its potential importance as a factor in heritage engagement. The research uses a case study approach and employs personal interviews, cognitive mapping and questionnaires survey. Questionnaires and personal interviews provide a more in-depth investigation of the current situation in Duo Bao Road, Guangzhou City. </p><p></p><p>The findings show that “sense of place” could be an useful factor in improvement of public heritage engagement. People perceive daily elements as their “sense of place” more. The more place attachment being developed from“sense of place”,people show more proactive in heritage engagement. Thus, recommendations are mentioned in the Chapter 6, with a view of using this concept to improve heritage conservation projects in Guangzhou City.</p>