Adele Esposito

Dr. Adele Esposito is a Researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), affiliated with the UMR AUSser: Architecture, Urban Planning, Society - Knowledge, Teaching, Research (UMR n°3329 CNRS/MCC). Her work focuses on urban development in Southeast Asia, particularly the role of heritage in shaping urban transformation and development projects.

Her research interests lie at the intersection of urban studies, heritage, architecture, and spatial planning. She investigates urban projects as dynamic processes from conception to reception, emphasizing the interplay between material urban form and the cultural, political, and social meanings of heritage. By analyzing how heritage becomes an argument for urban transformation, she treats cities as complex cultural phenomena reflecting the evolution and persistence of rapidly changing Southeast Asian societies.

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on critical heritage theory, urban regeneration, and the socio-spatial dynamics of post-colonial cities, with case studies on Siem Reap and Kowloon. These works highlight themes of cultural identity, tourism-led development, and the negotiation of urban space.

Dr. Esposito actively participates in academic discourse, as evidenced by her involvement in multiple sessions at heritage studies conferences, including forums on critical heritage, linguistic transformations of heritage, and heritage diplomacy.