CEES MA Students on Experiential Learning in Athens, Greece
CERES’s international experiences are a cornerstone of the program and offer students the opportunity to conduct their own research, immerse themselves in local communities, and gain unprecedented access to individuals at the top of their field.
The most recent experiential learning course in Athens, Greece, supported by the Hellenic Studies Initiative with funding from the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, granted four CERES students the opportunity to investigate the topic of our choice through interviews, meetings and specialized conferences for 10 invigorating days. Professor Robert Austin’s independent research course, “Contemporary Issues in Greece and the EU” brought Annie Boss, Nataliya Machalina, Inès Mahiou, and Ioana Zamfir to the country’s capital where they learned from his intimate knowledge of the country as well as that of Professor Themistoklis Aravossitas. Meetings, like that with Dr. Thanos Dokos, were also part of the program as students organized interviews for invaluable “on-the-ground” perspectives to their research.
The specificities of the angles chosen by each one of us for our research could only come from first-hand data collection in situ. We were well-received and informed by a our range of interviewees, from founders of civil society organizations to public servants, business owners and regular citizens who all enthusiastically agreed to contribute to our research. We immersed ourselves in the sociopolitical discussions marking present-day Greece with Annie tackling the issues of tourism and sustainability in Athens; Nataliya, the dynamics of European integration; Inès, energy security in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; and Ioana, solidarity and gentrification in Exarcheia, Athens’ threatened anti-establishment neighbourhood.
Annie: For my part, I tackled a topic that was completely out of my comfort zone. Usually focusing on cultural and historical subjects, my research on sustainable tourism opened me up to an entirely new academic vocabulary. I became enveloped in the world of valuation of the “tourist product”, the blue economy (a term for the sustainable use of ocean resources), and destination management organizations (DMOs). I didn’t separate myself fully from my cultural interests, though, as my research inquired how the preservation and conservation of Greece’s cultural heritage could contribute to a sustainable tourism industry. My hypothesis: maintaining these features is essential to the industry’s success. What I came to learn is that this spirit of conservation effects the experience of a place for tourists and locals alike. A common theme in my interviews was that preservation efforts extend beyond tangible things like Greece’s natural environment
or its celebrated monuments, like the Acropolis. Whether I was interviewing a hotel manager or an economist, they emphasized the intangible aspects of Greece’s heritage including its spiritual heritage (from ancient pantheistic traditions to a recent boom in Orthodox tourism) and social heritage (including its traditions of hospitality).
I was left feeling inspired, both from how my interviewees spoke about Greece—there was a clear reverence for the country’s history and reassuring recognition of the value of conservation—and the fact that actors, both governmental and independent, are working to create a sustainable tourism industry that supports the country’s economy while maintaining the features that make attractive to both tourists and locals.
Dispersed through the city during the day, we gathered religiously every evening for a local meal with Professors Austin and Aravossitas. Pangrati’s Katsourbos was our favourite, with the owner Despina perfectly concluding a day of roaming through all parts of Athens with delicious Cretan dishes and her most vibrant and humourous personality as she gave us her take on Greek politics.
Even while occupied with their respective tasks and interviews, we also carved out some spare time to learn more about Greek history and the unique mythology surrounding Athens. Professors Austin and Aravossitas organized visits to several museums and temporary expositions in the city, providing us – always with good humour – the historical and cultural context necessary to understand the contemporary issues faced by Greece. Our time in Greece was also marked by Olympiacos F.C.’s victory against Aston Villa (a historic game)and the Eurovision Song Contest Final, which we watched all together and fueled by Professor Aravossitas’ profound enthusiasm for both cultural events!
Shared morning coffees, cultural and political immersion, getting a taste of Greece’ delicious flavours, gaining valuable insights directly from experts and the local community, and mutual intellectual exchange are only some of the aspects that have made this independent research trip a memorable learning experience that has changed our understanding of both Athens and Greece.
