Cultural Heritage Management After Disasters: Reconstruction Of Social Memory And Identity in The Case Of The February 6, 2023 Hatay Earthquake

The earthquake of February 6, 2023, in Hatay deeply affected the rich cultural heritage of the region. This study aims to examine the potential of cultural heritage to revitalize social memory and reconstruct identity after the earthquake. The fact that Hatay, which hosted a rich cultural diversity and was a representation of rituals and tangible cultural heritage items belonging to different religious and ethnic origins before the earthquake, experienced migration after the disaster, distanced survivors from their old normal, damaged the collective identity, and lost the memory-space relationship, necessitated this study. In the study, evaluations on the role of cultural heritage items in the reconstruction of social memory and identity by acting as a bridge between the past and the future after the earthquake and their contribution to social recovery are presented within the framework of field observations, participant observation, published reports, academic studies, and a theoretical discussion. In this context, the general situation of tangible/intangible cultural heritage values after the earthquake was evaluated, and its critical role in the social recovery process was revealed. As a result of the study, it is revealed that tangible/intangible cultural heritage values can be an important tool in the process of preserving social memory and identity construction, but a comprehensive protection and management strategy is needed for this. In this context, alternative suggestions have been made for developing post-disaster cultural heritage management policies and integrating the role of cultural heritage values in social recovery into post-disaster recovery strategies. The findings of this study demonstrate that preserving and sustaining cultural heritage in post-disaster social healing processes is vital not only for the restoration of physical structures but also for the reconstruction of social identity and collective memory.