Urban Centres Asia and Latin America: Heritage Identities Changing Landscapes

The comparative study of the three areas reveals the similarities and differences of urban conservation policies, past and present upgrading strategies in the core areas, and the importance of tangible and intangible heritage. All three cities demonstrate that urban heritage, habits and beliefs are still of importance to the population. While there are significant differences in the kind and level of protection the respective legal system provides, partly uncontrolled urban dynamics pose a threat to all of them. The text is based on a PhD thesis submitted to the Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, Austria.