Author Lucy Gregson explores the reassembly of sense of place within the Zaatari Refugee Camp (ZRC), using the physical manifestations of traditional Syrian cultural identity as a comparison marker between Syria’s existing urban environment and the corresponding urban environment that has been built by Syrian refugees within the ZRC. The analysis and discussion of both public and private domains highlight that human subjectivity and personal interpretation of cultural identity are key driving forces behind establishing a sense of place. However, there is a particular emphasis on the notion that this reassembly does not have to be manifested in identical forms to maintain meaning and value. It proves the ever-evolving nature of cultural and personal identity and the importance of accepting the new life within Zaatari Refugee Camp as a part of it to create new senses of place.

Read the article here: Gregson | Sense of place in Middle Eastern refugee camps: The reassembly of cultural identity  | Fields: journal of Huddersfield student research

Zaatari Refugee Camp Refugees Sense of Place Cultural Identity Urban Organisation