Online interweaving of sense of place and local heritage: Challenges and implications for the digital instantiation and negotiation of local identity in two Cretan villages

The article examines the concept of ?sense of place? in the context of the increasing use of new communication technologies, particularly within social media platforms like Facebook. It focuses on two villages in Eastern Crete, Greece, Sissi and Vrachassi, which have been experiencing significant changes since the late 20th century, primarily under the impact of tourism. The study leverages online and offline research to explore online conceptualization of the natural and socio-cultural environment and shaping of a common local collective identity, utilizing the terms sense of place and ?digital placemaking.? It investigates how sense of place is attributed and extended in virtual/online environments by considering the online construction and representation of local heritage. Additionally, it explores whether and how local communities in online environments select, emphasize, and utilize some heritage elements, often imbuing them with special interest, significance, and sometimes intense idealization and nostalgia.