Heritage and social vulnerability. The case of Nueva Esperanza Nehiborhood, La Plata, Argentina

The concept of heritage has expanded in recent years highlighting the importance of cultural diversity and the right of participation of communities. This reconceptualization is partly due to the use of this notion in new contexts which have allowed the incorporation of variables that traditional heritage definitions did not consider. In parallel, the current processes of mass growth in Latin American cities are characterised by vulnerability and social segregation. As a result, squatter or spontaneous settlements have developed and consolidated as a new urban types. The aim of this paper is to identify the presence of symbolic references which are considered heritage in squatter and informal settlements. To do so, a case study was conducted in Barrio Nueva Esperanza, La Plata, Argentina, where the perceptions of its residents concerning assets and places valuated as heritage were analysed through interviews.