PurposeIt has been widely recognised that the participation of residents is a significant issue in contemporary urban heritage conservation. However, studies confirm that the reasons behind residents' engagement are still difficult to assess, particularly in emerging countries. This paper aims to evaluate the factors that incite or prevent residents from participating in built heritage rehabilitation in the old city of Constantine, by applying the motivation-opportunity-ability (MOA) model.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire-based survey was used to collect information from the residents. The collected data were then analysed using the structural equation model (SEM).FindingsThe findings show that the most significant factors affecting residents' participation were related to their motivations and abilities. Interestingly, factors related to the opportunities did not influence participation. Thus, autonomous rehabilitation according to the residents' motivation and abilities is more likely to be adopted.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings are limited to the selected sample, and some variables have been eliminated through the SEM analysis.Originality/valueHowever, as a first attempt to study residents' participation in built heritage rehabilitation in Constantine, the paper proposes a different perspective for assessing participation by considering its means and ends simultaneously. The paper also provides guidance to local decision-makers to improve the legal framework by implementing factors that encourage residents' involvement in sustainable heritage management.

Dans les pays du Maghreb, les centres historiques arabo-musulmans (les médinas) représentent de grandes valeurs patrimoniales, sociales et économiques. Elles marquent l'histoire du peuple, et préservent les caractéristiques du mode de vie des ancêtres, ce qui représente des opportunités pour un tourisme culturel durable. A cet égard, la vieille ville de Ténès, édifiée au 10ème siècle par les marins andalous pour être un souk, a pu préserver son aspect médinois pendant plusieurs siècles, quoique son caractère commercial attractif et identitaire ait fortement dégradé sous l’effet des mutations socio-économiques. Le centre commercial de la médina et son cœur battant a subi plusieurs dégradations. Le présent travail a pour objectif d’analyser l’état des lieux de cet espace et de présenter des scénarios de sa revitalisation dans le cadre du tourisme culturel durable, à la lumière des expériences maghrébines, et des politiques urbaines nationales, territoriales et locales.

The purpose of this study is to examine the residents' participation in the public operations for the rehabilitation of the built heritage carried out in the old town of Constantine. Constantine has undergone several intervention operations on its built heritage. However, few of them have been completed. This brings us to ask about the causes of these failures. Several hypotheses can be envisaged, including the predominance of private property, which represents 71% of the urban fabric, and the lack of effective participation of its residents. To confirm this, one case studies have been carried out: The pilot project for the rehabilitation of the street "Mellah Slimane" in 2005. The research followed a qualitative approach using several data collection instruments. The results of this work show several shortcomings in terms of the effectiveness of the participatory approach focusing on the residents during the studied operations. Understanding these limitations could help to rethink public action for heritage conservation in inhabited historic centres.

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