ABSTRACT
This article explores the conditions under which institutional and cultural innovations have taken place in two Greek cities: Athens and Elefsina. Against the backdrop of the economic crisis (as well as the refugee influx), both cities made an effort to promote innovative policies in order to deal with fierce economic and social implications of the crises, while at the same time developing a new narrative for themselves. The study shows that Athens and Elefsina have, to a great extent, succeed in reinventing themselves, though certain challenges lie ahead.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
List of interviewees
A1: City Councilor (6.11.2018)
A2: Director of Innovathens (6.11. 2018),
A3: Vice Mayor for Resilience (16.11.2018)
A4: Civil Servant, Technical Directory (25.11. 2018)
A5: Chief Digital Officer (26.11. 2018)
A6: Vice Mayor for Childhood (18.11. 2018)
A7: Member of the citizens’ group ‘Ag.Panteleimonas’ (4.11.2018)
A8: Vice Mayor for Civil Society and Innovation (22.4. 2019)
A9: Cultural Projects’ Manager (1.07.2019)
A10: City Mayor 2011-2019 (16.09.2019)
A11: Vice Mayor for Social Policy (27.09.2019)
A12: Coordinator of Athens CultureNet (2.10.2019)
A13: Vice Mayor for Immigrants and Refugees (2.10.2019)
A14: CEO Investment and Touristic Development Company (26.02.2020)
A15: Journalist (16.03.2020)
A16: Journalist (23.03.2020)
A17: Professor Charokopeion University (23.03.2020).
E1: Director of Social Services (04.03.2019)
E2: Head of Social Services (04.03.2019)
E3: Executive of Social Services (04.03.2019)
E4: Executive of Social Services (04.03.2019)
E5: Executive of Social Services (04.03.2019)
E6: Deputy Mayor for Social Services (27.03.2019)
E7: Director of Environment, Recycling and Civil Protection (21.05.2019)
E8: Head of the Department of Environment, Recycling and Civil Protection (21.05.2019)
E9: City Mayor (15.04.2019)
E10: Artistic Director of Eleusis 2021 – European Capital of Culture (15.04.2019)
E11: Publisher of the newspaper Epikairotita (29.10.2019)
E12: Head of the local medical clinic (13.10.2019)
E13: Head of the NGO Faros (16.07.2019)
E14: Director of Corporate Social Responsibility of Hellenic Petroleum (10.12.2019)
E15: Member of the Executive Board of Eleusis 2021 (03.02.2020)
E16: Head of the Department of EU, Ministry of Culture (26.03.2019)
E17: Publisher of the newspaper Thriasio Pedio (29.01.2020)
Notes
2. For detailed Information, see https://www.politikwissenschaft.tu-darmstadt.de/institut/arbeitsbereiche/methoden_1/forschung_m/cici_page.de.jsp. The analyzed cities were selected primarily due to their national (and partly international) reputations of being innovative cities. Furthermore, it was considered that smaller and bigger cities are included in the studies. In Germany, Bensheim, Frankfurt, Kassel, Leipzig and Offenbach are analyzed and in Greece Athens, Chania, Elefsina, Kalamata and Thessaloniki.
11. https://resilientathens.wordpress.com/ and https://www.100resilientcities.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Athens_Resilience_ Strategy_-_Reduced_PDF.compressed.pdf
12. Abcd.
13. Abcd.
14. https://www.innovathens.gr/innovathens-en-2/ and interview with A2.
15. The first post for a Chief Digital Officer has been created in New York by Mayor M.Bloomberg in 2011.
16. The Athens Digital Council was one of the five main innovations that were given as reasons for the European Capital of Innovation Award 2018 that was given to Athens.
17. http://www.kathimerini.gr/956,142/gallery/epikairothta/ellada/h-e3ypnh-oikia-ths-lelas-karagiannh.
21. The new posts of the Vice-Mayor for Refugees and Immigrants was taken over by the well-known activist, L.Papagiannakis, the Vice-Mayor for Children by the renowned child psychologist, M.Iliopoulou, the Vice-Mayor for Urban Green and Urban Resilience by the green activist, Prof. E.Myrivili, and the Vice-Mayor for Civil Society and Innovation by the well-known urban activist, A.Zeppou.