Negotiating urban heritage in Yangon/Myanmar in the transformation period

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Frauke Kraas
• Subject Area: Human Geography
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 246536977

Urban heritage and its role in the (mega)cities of developing and transformation countries are coming into the focus of research: migration, growth, infrastructural development and growing "external" influences through transformation and globalisation processes - as well as in the case of Myanmar the situation of opening after more than 60 years of self- and external isolation - meet with living traditions and remarkable urban heritage potential. Aim of the research of the historic downtown of Yangon is the investigation which factors and actors are influencing the perception, concepts and integration of urban heritage within the current urban development. Key questions are: Which political, societal and economic factors and actors influence on national, regional and local level in which way and change the perception of urban heritage? How do these influences change the priorities of urban development? Which measures of which actors lead to a re-priorisation in respect of a protection of urban heritage? How and through which institutions are these implemented?

• DFG Programme: Research Grants