Paper short abstract:

This paper develops an analysis around the urban gardening expansion in Europe and its relation with heritagization processes. Through a case study we reflect the role that the urban gardens develop as places of social contestation, and also as social and economic resources.

Paper long abstract:

This paper develops an analysis around the urban gardening expansion in Europe and its relation with heritagization processes. Through a case study -the city of Seville (Spain)-, we reflect concerning the role that the urban gardens develop as places of social contestation, and also as social and economic resources for the citizens. Within the neo-liberal logic, the city of Seville has as central themes of its local policy the aim of being in the map of global trade: tourism and the rehabilitation of the historic centre - accompanied by processes of gentrification- are the main instruments. Opposite the tourist destination, another face of the city is shown in the periphery and in the interstices of the historic centre. Initiatives that promote urban gardens are often connected with readings of the city beyond the neoliberal ideology. Urban horticulture is associated with the defence of the territory against urban speculation; with the demand of the public space as a citizen's right; with the demand for a food sovereignty and healthier practices... Our intention is to describe these phenomena of social contestation and to analyze in which particular contexts these processes are integrated in a heritage discourse. The data indicate that heritage interpretations occur when there are situations in which the conflict of interest has been clear. The heritagization process is also common when there are powerful ideological motivations and a leadership. Thus, social creativity adds the administrative and legislative possibilities offered by the current heritage laws to make these places authentic citizenship resources.