Thermalism in Greece: An Ancient Cultural Habitus in Crisis

Abstract

This paper examines thermalism in Greece both in its historical development and in the context of current challenges engendered by economic recession. The authors’ intention is to discuss bathing in thermal springs as a sociocultural practice deeply rooted in history and collective experience, to follow its transformations in the course of time, and to analyze the complexity of its present state. The latter issue, which is dealt with in more detail, is explored through academic literature, the evaluation of quantitative and qualitative data, and empirical research. The last part of the paper discusses the conclusions of our study of the Greek case with a view to contributing to the overall assessment of popular thermalism in Europe