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Copyright

Nibal Muhesen;

Published On

2025-06-03

Page Range

pp. 29–44

Language

  • English

Print Length

16 pages

2. The Past in the Present

Urban Heritage Destruction and Housing in Syria

Chapter of: Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa(pp. 29–44)
In Chapter Two, Nibal Muhesen considers the past in the context of the present, with a reflection on urban heritage destruction and housing in Syria. In this post-conflict society, heritage sites have come to accommodate communities, making this heritage an inseparable part of their everyday lives. Muhesen explores how this could encourage the restoration of damaged sites and the involvement of civil society in the process. She concludes that the reconstruction process should not be driven solely by economic circumstances or security concerns but should also enable social transformation and improve liveability in newly built environments.

Contributors

Nibal Muhesen

(author)
Researcher at University of Tartous
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6050-5303

Nibal Muhesen is a Syrian researcher in the field of archaeology and the protection of Syrian cultural heritage. He obtained a PhD from the University of Lyon II in Syrian archaeology in 2009. Since 2011, he has been involved in documenting the damage to Syrian cultural heritage and has participated in many international lectures and conferences aimed at protecting this heritage. He worked as an expert with the Syrian State Board of Antiquities where he took part in activities focusing on preserving and raising awareness about the importance of Syria’s tangible and intangible heritage and advocating for community-driven reconstruction strategies. He is currently appointed to the Department of Tourism Management at the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Tartous as a researcher in the field of archaeology and tourism.