Measuring Cultural Intensity in Urban and Rural Areas in Greece

Authors

  • Konstantinos Chalioris Department of Economics and Sustainable Development, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University (HUA), Attica, Greece
  • Roido Mitoula Department of Economics and Sustainable Development, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University (HUA), Attica, Greece
  • Anastasia-Aspasia Gospodini Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
  • Maria Manola Department of Tourism Management, University of West Attica, Attica, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/spee1048-5236.4442

Keywords:

Cultural intensity index, cultural policy, cultural engagement, sustainability, socioeconomic factors, cultural development

Abstract

This study examines cultural participation in urban and rural areas of Greece, analyzing engagement levels, preferences, and barriers to access. Using survey data, we assess how factors such as geography, age, gender, and employment status influence cultural engagement. The Cultural Intensity Index reveals significant disparities in participation, with younger individuals and students displaying higher engagement. An ANOVA analysis confirms that regional and demographic differences play a crucial role in shaping cultural behaviors. Comparisons with Barcelona’s cultural survey further illustrate the impact of socioeconomic inequalities on participation. The study emphasizes the need for targeted cultural policies that promote accessibility, inclusivity, and equitable distribution of cultural opportunities across Greece.

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Author Biographies

Konstantinos Chalioris, Department of Economics and Sustainable Development, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University (HUA), Attica, Greece

Konstantinos Chalioris is a PhD candidate and economist who works to preserve and promote cultural assets through local organizations and cultural groups. Since 2000, he has overseen a company that manufactures and exports precise metal components.
He has also held key positions in athletics, most recently acting as General Director of the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (OAKA) “Spiros Louis” since 2020. In this capacity, he is in charge of managing Greece’s largest sports facilities. He also serves on the General Secretariat of Sports’ Health Scientific Committee, where he contributes to the formulation of pandemic health guidelines. He also chairs the Secretariat’s Working Committee, which oversees and evaluates sports facilities in the Attica region. He has worked on the organizing committees for major sporting events, including the Acropolis Rally (Motorsport Greece) and the Tour of Hellas (Cycling Greece).
He is also actively interested in research, having contributed to scientific studies and published in international journals. He has also attended various scientific conferences focusing on the advancement of culture and sports.

Roido Mitoula, Department of Economics and Sustainable Development, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University (HUA), Attica, Greece

Roido Mitoula is Professor at Harokopio University of Athens. She holds a BA in “Political Sciences and Public Administration” from National Kapodistriako University of Athens, an MA in “Architecture of Space” and a Ph.D in “Urban Planning and Spatial Design” from N.T.U.A. She has sci- entific publications and has participated in numerous Greek and international Conferences. She is researcher in the Laboratory of Applied Economics and Sustainable Development of Harokopio University and she co-operated with the Laboratory of Urban Design of N.T.U.A. She specialises in issues of “Sustainable Development”. He was Head of the Department of Home Economics and Ecology from November 2015 to November 2017. She is Editor of Sustainable Develop- ment, Culture, Traditions Journal (SDCT-Journal www.sdct-journal.com) (ISSN 2241-4010) and Editor of Greek Journal “Bι´ωσιμη Aν ´απτ υξη, Περιβ ´αλλoν, Πoλιτ ισμ´oς, Oικoνoμ´ια, Koινων´ια (www.sdct-journal.gr) (ISSN 2241-4002). She is a member of the Committee of the Graduate Pro- gram “Sustainable Development” of Harokopio University and is responsible for the “Local Development”. She is a member of Scientific Committees and reviewer in scientific journals and Conferences. She has organized Scientific Seminars, Scientific Conferences and Scientific Meetings on Urban Environ- ment and Regional Development. She is the national representative of Greece in European Union programs related to Sustainable Development.

Anastasia-Aspasia Gospodini, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece

Anastasia-Aspasia Gospodini is Dipl. Architect, MSc, PhD in Urban Plan- ning & Design, Bartlett School, UCL; Professor of Urban Planning & Design, Director of “Urban Morphology & Design” research Lab, Director of the MSc Course “Urban Regeneration, Urban Redevelopment & Real Estate”, University of Thessaly, Greece; In this MSc course, she teaches three mod- ules: (a) urban renewal policies, (b) policies for sustainable and resilient cities, and (c) policies for smart cities. She has served as Vice President in the Planning Authority of Thessaloniki grater area (2010–11). Her research interests focus on urban renewal, redevelopment & regeneration; urban landscapes; place identity; urban tourism, shrinking Greek cities. She has published many research papers in scientific journals, and co-authored and edited over 10 books. Her published work has been awarded 4 international prizes, by AESOP & GPEAN in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, for the best published paper in urban planning. Her published work has received over 900 citations. She is member of the Editorial Board in 8 international journals of urban planning & design; and she is Chair of the Organising and Scien- tific Committees in the series of international conferences on ‘CHANGING CITIES: Spatial, Design, Landscape and Socioeconomic dimensions’ (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) which has been attracting strong interest by the global academic community in the last decade.

Maria Manola, Department of Tourism Management, University of West Attica, Attica, Greece

Maria Manola is an Associate Professor at the Department of Tourism Management at the University of West Attica.
She holds a degree from the Department of Italian Language and Liter- ature at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as a diploma from the Marasleio Pedagogical Academy. She completed her Master degree at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the field of Language Teach- ing. Her PhD was also obtained from the same university and department, specializing in Italian Language and Literature.
She has participated in numerous international conferences and has been involved in scientific research and studies on literary tourism, Italian tourism terminology, cultural tourism, and cultural entrepreneurship.
She is the author of several books related to her fields of expertise.

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Published

2025-10-31

How to Cite

Chalioris, K. ., Mitoula, R. ., Gospodini, A.-A. ., & Manola, M. . (2025). Measuring Cultural Intensity in Urban and Rural Areas in Greece. Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 44(04), 665–698. https://doi.org/10.13052/spee1048-5236.4442

Issue

2025: Vol 44 Iss 4

Section

Urban and Regional Sustainable Development in Southern Europe