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This study explores the interplay between the UNESCO status and climate governance in World Heritage cities. With climate change posing significant threats to living urban landscapes, local governments and public actors strive to implement sustainable and resilient strategies. However, complications arise when cities attain the World Heritage status, complicating climate governance practices. Qualitative research, involving interviews with key stakeholders from the Climate and Monument Protection Departments in Lübeck, Regensburg, and Bamberg, reveals a negative impact of cultural heritage on climate governance. The study contends that, when harnessed effectively, cultural heritage can contribute to the sustainability and resilience of cities in addressing climate change. It emphasises the necessity for flexibility, collaboration, and a human-centric approach, advocating for a common understanding and prioritisation of human life within climate governance. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of viewing heritage as a dynamic component integrated into cities' climate governance strategies.
This thesis contributes to the understanding of the collaborative economic model and its applicability in the development of heritage tourism in rural areas. It does so by examining the conceptual and operational attractiveness of the collaborative economy and by proposing a new collaborative model for tourism development. The first part of the research provides a broad theoretical contextualisation of the collaborative economic model. The main assumption is that the duality between individual and collective values lies at the core of all social interactions, and is essential in understanding the conceptual appeal of the collaborative model. The study draws upon concepts and paradigms from a wide range of academic disciplines to frame this assumption: moral philosophy, religion, history, national and political narratives, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, psychology, anthropology and World Heritage discourses. It continues with an analysis of this duality within various theoretical models in the history of Western political economy, and argues that the search for an ideal model of economic policy represented a constant balancing act between individualist or collective goals. The thesis further investigates this duality at the microeconomic level, in relation to specific aspects of economic behaviour: motivation, interaction, ownership, and modes of consumption. The research continues to examine the key characteristics of the collaborative economy, as an emerging model that challenges the structures of the dominant market economy. It demonstrates how the collaborative economy provides an ingenious manner to reconcile individual interests with a sense of community and cooperative action, developing a narrative that rehabilitates the social nature of economic activities. The second part of the thesis investigates the operational attractiveness of a potential collaborative tourism model. It explores the perspectives of both the providers (hosts) and the consumers (tourists) of travel experiences. With the help of data collected from a survey conducted at four selected locations in Romania (Hrabusna, Breaza de Sus) and India (Bhavikeri, Gokarn), the study identifies a high level of acceptance from potential hosts towards a small-scale collaborative tourism model. Similarly, data collected from an online survey offers valuable insights into the tourists’ acceptance of a collaborative tourism model and the functional aspects of its implementation. Finally, the thesis proposes a new collaborative model for small-scale heritage tourism in rural areas – sharitage. The findings of this research provide a good basis for the elaboration of new socio-economic practices that would generate development opportunities and transparent benefits for vulnerable communities in rural areas, respond to the growing tourist demand for immersive, locally contextualised travel experiences, and contribute to the safeguarding of traditional knowledge and practices.
Sub-Saharan African cultural landscapes are adversely impacted by various development pressures, which calls for a holistic and integrated approach in their management. Mining development has been ranked highly by UNESCO World Heritage Centre, as one of the most common factors threatening the conservation and management of World Heritage properties around the world. For instance, out of 141 World Heritage properties which submitted their state of conservation reports in 2015, 18% were affected by mining activities. Out of these, 84% of the properties that were threatened by mining development were either cultural landscapes, natural properties and or mixed properties. African World Heritage cultural landscapes are the ones highly affected and threatened by planned and on-going mining and exploration activities.
Therefore, research was carried out using the Mulanje Mountain Cultural Landscape of Malawi and Mapungubwe Cultural landscape of South Africa. Specifically, the study aimed at examining the existing cultural landscape management theories and concepts in order to understand the key elements to be integrated into the suggested strategic management planning methodological framework. It also aimed at evaluating the impact of mining development on the conservation and management of African cultural landscapes. The study also investigated the stakeholder’s views and perception about the impact of mining activities on cultural and natural heritage values of the landscapes.
To achieve the research objectives, the literature was reviewed, firstly to determine the dimensions of cultural landscapes, and secondly, to determine the dimensions of mining development in World Heritage cultural landscapes. The study used two case studies as an effective comparative research strategy in the investigation of the conflicting issues of mining development against the conservation of the attributes of the two cultural landscapes. A case study research strategy was combined with other research methodologies. These included interviews, focus-group-discussions, observations, field site surveys, qualitative content analysis, and thematic analysis.
The study has revealed that stakeholder participation and inclusion is a key element in the integration of mining development in cultural landscape planning. This research has contributed to the methodological gap in cultural landscape management planning by developing and applying an integrated strategic management planning methodological framework. The application of this framework has shown that the governance in place for Mulanje Mountain cultural landscape conformed to the requirements of a long-term and holistic planning process and the participation and empowerment of multiple stakeholders in that process.
The global regulations and policies of the foundational UNESCO World Heritage (WH) are by far unable to solve the management threefold relationship conflicts between Heritage, Tourism activities, and urban needs as integral components of a Heritage site. Besides, fundamental scholars as well have not explored this existing relationship comprehensively. Instead, the conflict is discussed in a twofold manner. So, both existing international regulations and latest literature contributions have failed to understand the obstacles to bring out applicable on-site approaches for Heritage site management.
This research provides a novel lens with which to understand the conflicting demands of Heritage sites management. It does not only delve into bringing forward the predominant reasons for failure particularly for Luxor city in Egypt as an overarching question, but also the long-term impact on Tourism management and society overall from an urban perspective. The key research questions are: (1) how definitions and conceptions of Heritage Value by foundational resources are reflected in the Tourism field; (2) how the Egyptian Heritage protection laws regulate the stated conflict; and (3) focusing on Luxor city, how the history of Tourism, Heritage policies, and urban planning in Egypt, which favoured tourism-oriented projects, impacted the morphology of the city and its urban and social networks.
The investigation of Heritage Value definitions revealed a broad spectrum of views and even contradicting notions. The quandary nature of Value is evident in the Egyptian Heritage protection regulations. Additionally, they are not on the same pace as the international discourse about the complexity of Heritage protection. It viewed Value resources of Luxor city that were destinated for tourism-oriented development plans from the Heritage and Tourism points of view to come up with increasing concerns and unsolved plights.
For realistic and sustainable Heritage management, the UNESCO WH Centre's insufficient relation to WH sites needs local community representatives as an equal third party instead of maintaining it primarily through experts from its Advisory Bodies and State Parties. Egyptian Heritage protection laws should be reformed to identify the urban context as an integral component of Heritage sites, provide the local communities with technical and financial incentives, and integrate Historic Urban Landscapes recommendations. Heritage sites management and urban planning of cities of Heritage Value in Egypt should be restructured to be on the local level, where the power and interest landscape of stakeholders are the most balanced. The regulatory reorganisations that acknowledge the broader urban milieu at the international, national and local levels are a chief factor for sustainable Heritage site management.
The World Heritage List, created in 1972 by the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage, exhibits few cultural sites younger than
the signing of the convention, as well as everyday structures which comprise the contemporary urban life.
This idea of heritage as something related to the ancient not only is manifested in the international sphere but has also permeated national views, weakening awareness for discreet heritage, which compete with designs from famous architects or monumental structures, giving the impression that grandeur and looks are highly coveted. This does not only discard relevant events of the mid-late 20th century attached to smaller constructions that had impacts on different cultures, but also integral components of urban fabric. Furthermore, these approaches towards heritage relevance resonate within the local populations, who, taking as examples how heritage is treated and approached in an international context, tend to overlook structures that are considered aesthetically displeasing because they do not adhere to this traditional scheme seen in the heritage field.
From here extends the idea of analyzing case studies that fall within overlooked heritage from a new angle: one of valuating aesthetic displeasure. The thesis will focus
on individual and serial constructions of the 20th century commonly seen as displeasing due to their typologies and styles but also due to their formal characteristics,
redirecting the attention from those considered aesthetically pleasing and grandiose towards otherwise ignored built heritage. Additionally, it will address the perceptions of such structures in the context of the international heritage and conservation spheres, to present how these structures are currently not fully appreciated within the traditional idea of heritage due to their looks and commonality. This approach does in fact overlook, and even relegate, those buildings that do not fit into the preconceived idea of aesthetics, denying the opportunity to explore and find their potential for heritage value.
Cultural landscapes have become categories of increasing use in the nominations to the World Heritage, because they provide frameworks for the integration of alternative understandings of heritage into the List. Nevertheless, the concept of cultural landscape takes its roots within a Western naturalist ontology. By assuming this ontology the interpretation of heritage sites is based on the division between nature and culture. The lack of a model of protection designed for the integration of all categories of heritage is evident, with the models used following the culture/nature and tangible/intangible divides.
In order to study this problem, a comparative approach has been used. Two sites from mountain areas have been selected as case studies. The Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park in Spain has been part of the transnational mixed cultural and natural heritage property in the World Heritage List Pyrenees/Mont Perdu since 1997, shared with France. The Archaeological Park of Ollantaytambo, neighbor to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru, is included in the serial and transnational property Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System inscribed in the List in 2014. These sites are protected under two different models: the first focused on the conservation of nature and the second on the conservation of the past. Nevertheless, both sites have been nominated as cultural landscapes based on the presence of Intangible Cultural Heritage maintained by agropastoral communities inhabiting them. The focus is to put in question the relevance of the concepts of conservation and sustainability in these contexts and to propose landscape management as an alternative that implies maintenance and at the same time adaptation to change.
The methodological design is based on a qualitative approach. The focus is the analysis of the ‘emergent landscape management’, defined as a self-organized process resulting from the interactions between the most influential actors in landscapes – the state, local communities and visitors -, ultimately leading to synergies between these actors’ practices.
The results show that, first, the diversity of approaches to the notion of “landscape” entails the lack of precision of the object to be conserved. The definition set in the Operational Guidelines of the 1972 World Heritage Convention presents the concept from different epistemological perspectives. Contrasted with the criteria under which these sites have been justified as World Heritage Cultural Landscapes, an inherent contradiction is evident between the models of protection and the continuity of the way of life of local communities that represent their heritage value. Second, three landscapes have been identified based upon the model of the emergent landscape management: the landscape as a container; the landscape as habitat; and the landscape as picture. Three sets of maps, corresponding with each group of actors portray the results. Nevertheless, the groups and its understandings are not close. Key actors have been found playing roles in different groups. An overlay of the maps shows the potential for common ground connected by the key actors. Finally, even if these sites represent particular cases, they exemplify the need to reflect upon the inherent contradictions of the current conservation system. In order to develop comprehensive strategies for the viability of cultural landscapes alternatives for the continuity and autonomy of local communities need to be reflected upon.
This paper offers a new perspective on heritage interpretation as a mechanism for understanding heritage sites. It builds a theory of understanding for heritage interpretation based on constructivism perspectives, which shift the focus of attention from heritage interpretation and the process of understanding as a purely cognitive process into a communicative one. In such a view understanding a heritage site means meeting orientation expectations put forth by heritage interpreters in interpretive provision. By analyzing visitor responses (emotional, verbal and behavioural) managers of a heritage site and heritage interpreters are able to determine whether orientation expectations have been met and thus whether understanding took place. In so far understanding of a heritage site means orienting visitors’ perceptions of and behaviours at a heritage site. The paper also analyses the role of culture in the process of understanding and in the process of heritage interpretation. Culture as such does not influence understanding, nevertheless the collective knowledge systems inherent in it are important for the process of understanding and communication, as they offer the meanings, structures and symbol systems that allow the individuals of a particular cultural group to communicate effectively with each other. Because cultures are characteristic of having a pattern and overlapping with each other, a communication and understanding between the individuals of various cultures is a difficult but not impossible process. In order to ensure effective communication and reaching understanding a communication model for heritage interpretation was suggested with three interlinked components (team of communicators, active meaning-maker and interpretive medium), which ensure message formation, interpretation and exchange. In order to assist in communication with various visitors, and especially visitors from different cultural backgrounds, some techniques in the construction of information have been analysed, which allow assisting in reaching understanding on the presented issues in heritage interpretation. These techniques are framing, making of themes and stories. The use of these techniques in the construction of the interpretive information, as well as the overall influence of interpretive provision for understanding, have been tested in two cross-sectional studies. These studies have shown that, in view of constructivism theories, a well developed interpretive activity is able to contribute to a better understanding of a heritage site.
„Das ist ja wie im Museum!“ ist eine Aussage, der wir bei der Beschreibung von denkmalgeschützten Orten begegnen. Doch wie lässt sich Musealität für den städtischen Kontext definieren und messen? Welche Gründe gibt es für Musealität und wie kann sie gelenkt werden? Ausgangspunkt und Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, die Beschreibung „wie im Museum“ wissenschaftlich zu untersuchen und eine Grundlage dafür zu liefern, dass Veränderungsprozesse, die zu Musealität führen, in Planungsprozessen berücksichtigt werden können. Der Begriff Musealität und der Prozess der Musealisierung werden durch die Arbeit für den städtischen Zusammenhang von denkmalgeschützten, touristisch genutzten Zonen definiert. Dafür werden Musealitätsmerkmale benannt und Funktionsveränderungen, Kontextveränderungen und Veränderungen in der Aneignung öffentlicher Räume analysiert. Es wird dargestellt, welche Musealisierungshandlungen zu welchen Veränderungen führen und welche Rollen dem Denkmalschutz und dem Fremdenverkehr in Welterbeortschaften zukommen. Der Hauptteil der Arbeit beschreibt Untersuchungsmethoden mit der Musealität dokumentiert und ihrer Gründe analysiert werden können. Drei Feldstudien in spanisch-kolonialen Welterbestädten (Trinidad auf Kuba, Guanajuato in Mexiko und Vigan auf den Philippinen) veranschaulichen die Anwendung der Methoden. Aus den im Feld gewonnenen Dokumentationsergebnissen wird ein System von räumlichen und zeitlichen Musealitätsmustern abgeleitet. Es wird ein Spektrum an Abhängigkeiten aufgezeigt, die den Veränderungsprozess Musealisierung prägen. Abschließend wird ein Ausblick darauf gegeben, wie Veränderungsprozesse, die zu Musealität führen, in Planungsprozesse einbezogen werden können. Der Ausblick zeigt Möglichkeiten für die Lenkung der Veränderungsprozesse und stellt die Rolle der entwickelten Untersuchungsmethoden für Planungsprozesse dar.