Professor Emeritus of History at the Ionian University Petros Pizanias, author of The Urban Poor: Survival Strategies in Interwar Greece, published by Estia Bookstore, is the guest on this episode of “Remarkable Personalities,” hosted by Stavroula Karali.
The conversation explores social inequality, child labor, the status of women, informal labor, and the survival strategies developed by the urban poor in Greece during the interwar years. It also examines the lasting impact of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the settlement of refugees, who, despite the immense hardships they faced, brought with them valuable expertise and professional skills that helped reshape the economic and social fabric of Greece’s urban centers.
The discussion further expands to postwar migration—both within Greece and abroad—and the profound social transformations that defined the 20th century.
The program also features moving personal testimonies from people who experienced poverty, displacement, and the search for a better life, adding a deeply human dimension to this historical journey.
Produced and presented by Stavroula Karali
Sound engineer: Nikos Savvorginakis