scholarly journals World Heritage sites on Wikipedia: Cultural heritage activism in a context of constrained agency

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 205395172110173
Author(s):  
Ben Marwick ◽  
Prema Smith
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Data Science ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Distributions ◽  
Cultural Sites

UNESCO World Heritage sites are places of outstanding significance and often key sources of information that influence how people interact with the past today. The process of inscription on the UNESCO list is complicated and intersects with political and commercial controversies. But how well are these controversies known to the public? Wikipedia pages on these sites offer a unique dataset for insights into public understanding of heritage controversies. The unique technicity of Wikipedia, with its bot ecosystem and editing mechanics, shapes how knowledge about cultural heritage is constructed and how controversies are negotiated and communicated. In this article, we investigate the patterns of production, consumption, and spatial and temporal distributions of Wikipedia pages for World Heritage cultural sites. We find that Wikipedia provides a distinctive context for investigating how people experience and relate to the past in the present. The agency of participants is highly constrained, but distinctive, behind-the-scenes expressions of cultural heritage activism are evident. Concerns about state-like actors, violence and destruction, deal-making, etc. in the World Heritage inscription process are present, but rare on Wikipedia’s World Heritage pages. Instead, hyper-local and process issues dominate controversies on Wikipedia. We describe how this kind of research, drawing on Big Data and data science methods, contributes to digital heritage studies and also reveals its limitations.

scholarly journals World Heritage Sites on Wikipedia: Cultural Heritage Activism in a Context of Constrained Agency

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Marwick ◽  
Prema Smith
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Data Science ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Distributions ◽  
Cultural Sites

UNESCO World Heritage sites are places of outstanding significance, and often key sources of information that influence how people interact with the past today. The process of inscription on the UNESCO list is complicated and intersects with political and commercial controversies. But how well are these controversies known to the public? Wikipedia pages on these sites offer a unique dataset for insights into public understanding of heritage controversies. The unique technicity of Wikipedia, with its bot ecosystem and editing mechanics, shapes how knowledge about cultural heritage is constructed, and how controversies are negotiated and communicated. In this article we investigate the patterns of production, consumption and spatial and temporal distributions of Wikipedia pages for World Heritage cultural sites. We find that Wikipedia provides a distinctive context for investigating how people experience and relate to the past in the present. The agency of participants is highly constrained, but distinctive, behind-the-scenes expressions of cultural heritage activism are evident. Concerns about state-like actors, violence and destruction, deal-making, etc. in the World Heritage inscription process are present, but rare on Wikipedia’s World Heritage pages. Instead hyper-local, and process issues dominate controversies on Wikipedia. We describe how this kind of research, drawing on big data and data science methods, contributes to digital heritage studies, and also reveals its limitations.

scholarly journals Conceptual Framework for On-site Digital Interpretation Developments in Cultural Heritage Sites

2022 ◽  
Vol 07 (01) ◽  
pp. 64-84
Author(s):  
R. Wimalasuriya ◽  
A. Kapukotuwa ◽  
G. Ranasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Five Phases ◽  
Cultural World ◽  
Heritage Interpretation

On-site heritage interpretation plays a vital role in cultural heritage sites in conveying the significance and multiple heritage values to the visitors. In an era where the world is transforming with innovative digital applications, the heritage sites are also being integrated with digital interpretation techniques to deliver a better interpretation and new dimensional experience to the visitors. Though multiple digital solutions are available, not all the techniques are appropriate, applicable and feasible to every site. Besides, neither proper worldwide principles nor framework has been exerted for these digital heritage interpretation developments. Therefore, this study is focused on building a generic conceptual framework to select the most appropriate digital interpretation technique(s) that fit the context of the heritage site, giving special reference to the six Cultural World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. The relevant qualitative and quantitative data were gathered via in-depth interviews, field observation, literature survey and a visitor survey questionnaire. The main themes and sub-themes derived through the thematic analysis were adopted as the theoretical framework for the research to analyze the collected data of the six Cultural World Heritage Sites and the selected digital techniques. Based on the results, the study recommends appropriate digital techniques for each Cultural World Heritage Sites of the country. Further as aimed, the study presents a conceptual framework for on-site digital interpretation developments for cultural heritage sites by categorizing the 24 criteria derived for data analysis under five phases namely ‘Prepare’, ‘Assess’, ‘Design’, ‘Implement’ and ‘Sustain’.

The development of legal framework for the management of World Heritage Sites in Oman: a case study on Bahla Oasis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Ali Mohamed Khalil ◽  
Eman Hanye Mohamed Nasr
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Content Type ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
The World ◽  
Heritage Legislation

PurposeThe study aims to analyze the development of Omani heritage legislation against the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (WHC), 1972 and WHC Operational Guidelines (WHC-OGs) to predict the possible effects of the recent developments on the management of the World Heritage Site in Oman.Design/methodology/approachThis study discusses the development of the heritage protection legislation in Sultanate of Oman since 1970; it analyses the Omani Cultural Heritage Law 35/2019 against the recommendations of the UNESCO WHC as well as the requirements of the World Heritage Operational Guidelines. Moreover, the research investigates the possible effects of the recent heritage legislation developments on the management of Bahla Fort and Oasis in Oman, which is the first Omani World Heritage Site and the only site with special management regulations.FindingsThe paper outlines the effects of both the Omani Cultural Heritage Law 35/2019 and the Special Management Regulations 81/2019 on the implementation of the Bahla Management Plan. Additionally, the research establishes how the customization of heritage legislation as a special heritage management regulation facilitates the implementation of national legislation to solve specific local problems.Originality/valueThe study establishes the significance of developing comprehensive legislation to protect and manage the rich Omani cultural heritage and World Heritage Sites in alignment with the WHC and the WHC-OGs.

scholarly journals The Assessment of Historic Towns’ Outstanding Universal Value Based on the Interchange of Human Values They Exhibit

Heritage ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1874-1891
Author(s):  
Abdel Tawab
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Town Planning ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Human Values ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Outstanding Universal Value

Influences exerted by cultural heritage properties on developments in architecture, town planning, or landscape design represent one of the criteria that are used to evaluate the Outstanding Universal Value of the properties nominated for listing as World Heritage Sites, which is criterion (ii). In 1996, the wording of criterion (ii) was revised to address the interchange of human values exhibited by cultural heritage properties. The main aim of this study was to discuss the changes that occurred to the application of criterion (ii) following the revision of its wording of 1996, particularly in relation to historic towns. The study also aimed at investigating the applicability of the revised version of criterion (ii) to the particularity of the cultural heritage of an Egyptian historic town and a potential World Heritage Site, which is “Historic quarters and monuments of Rosetta/Rachid”. To achieve these aims, a sample of World Heritage Sites, or potential ones, representing both the pre-1996 and the post-1996 historic towns whose Outstanding Universal Value was justified based on criterion (ii), was adopted for the analysis of the changes in the application of criterion (ii). Subsequently, a brief preview of the major features that represent the mutual influences experienced throughout Rosetta’s wider cultural context was carried out. The findings revealed that the prevalent trend in the post-1996 listings of historic towns is the emphasis on other cultures’ influences exerted on the concerned historic towns through interchanges of human values that take the form of exchanges of technical know-how, traditions and religious values. The findings also indicated the applicability of the revised version of criterion (ii) to the particularity of Rosetta’s cultural heritage. The study recommends inscribing Rosetta on the World Heritage List based on criterion (ii).

Rethinking the marketing of World Heritage Sites: Giving the past a sustainable future

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. e1655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel de Fauconberg ◽  
Pierre Berthon ◽  
Jean Paul Berthon
Keyword(s):  
World Heritage ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sustainable Future

scholarly journals Protecting Outstanding Underwater Cultural Heritage through the World Heritage Convention: The Titanic and Lusitania as World Heritage Sites

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh B. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
World Heritage Convention ◽  
World Heritage List ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many

Abstract Despite growing recognition of the global value of underwater cultural heritage (uch), along with intensified international efforts to ensure its protection, the possibility of its inscription on the World Heritage List has never been comprehensively examined. Arguing that the unesco 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (uch Convention) is insufficient alone to protect globally outstanding wrecks, such as the Titanic and the Lusitania, this article examines in detail the many legal and practical challenges involved with listing such sites under the World Heritage Convention. By reviewing key international agreements such as the uch Convention, World Heritage Convention, Law of the Sea Convention and the International Titanic Agreement, it draws the conclusion that it is the improved offshore management of uch—through ‘cultural’ marine protected areas operating under the framework of the uch Convention—which would open the possibility of nomination to the World Heritage List.

scholarly journals Călin Neamtu, Vitalie Barca, Zsolt Buna, Promoting and Capitalizing on the Vestiges from Sarmizegetusa Regia by Modern Multimedia Methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-173
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
The Other ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Accurate Expression ◽  
On Line ◽  
Local Traditions

Sarmizegetusa Regia was included, together with the other five Dacian fortresses, on the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1999. They are a unique synthesis of external cultural influences and local traditions in terms of building techniques and overall, in the ancient military architecture, representing the grand expression of the civilisation of the Dacian Kingdom. These fortresses are the accurate expression of the exceptional development level of the Dacian civilisation, Sarmizegetusa Regia lying at the forefront of this fortified complex, epitomizing the evolution phenomenon from fortified centres to proto-urban agglomerations. As such, promoting these monuments and the numerous artefacts discovered by modern methods and techniques should become a priority. This paper presents a series of last generation applications and equipment that may be successfully used in promoting cultural heritage. Case studies include scanned artefacts and 3D reconstructions of the monuments in the site of Sarmizegetusa Regia, a monument on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites together with the other five Dacian fortresses (Bănița, Costești-Blidaru, Costești-Cetățuie, Piatra Roșie and Căpâlna). We present here the results obtained following the use of several hardware tracking systems, augmented virtual reality applications and haptic devices. One of the important aspects, when attempting to make enhanced on-line use of heritage good is the extent to which it is accessible and reusable by various categories of users, either specialists or the general public. Digitalizing a good in the cultural heritage is the first step for ensuring the broad access via the on-line medium, the quality of this process ensuring the electronic format artefact legitimacy and credibility, which means that it should be an electronic duplicate truthful to the real artefact.

scholarly journals Word Heritage Sites as soft tourism destinations – their impacts on international arrivals and tourism receipts

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (45) ◽  
pp. 25-44
Author(s):  
Zsuzsanna Bacsi ◽  
Éva Tóth
Keyword(s):  
World Heritage ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
General Level ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Cultural Sites ◽  
Natural World Heritage Sites ◽  
Cultural World

AbstractThe paper deals with the relationship between the presence of world heritage sites in a country and the volume of international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts. World heritage sites are unique tourist attractions with enhanced attention paid to their protection, preservation and sustainability. The paper analyses whether the needs of sustainability can be harmonised with the requirements of a profitable and successful tourism sector, by statistical analysis of data about world heritage sites and tourism performance, for 129 countries of the world from 2014 to 2017. The results show that both cultural and natural world heritage sites are generally strong attractions for tourists and can contribute to increased arrivals and receipts. Cultural sites were found to have higher impact on arrivals, while natural heritage sites seemed to have more impact on receipts, which suggest, that visitors of natural world heritage sites are usually higher spenders, than tourists visiting cultural sites. Countries widely differ, however, in this respect by their geographical locations. Countries in Europe and Latin-America & the Caribbean region benefit most from cultural world heritage sites, while African, and North American countries experienced the benefits of natural world heritage sites more. The general level of development measured by per capita GNI also mattered for the less developed areas, but not so much for developed regions that possess a suitable level of infrastructure, health and education, and living standards.

scholarly journals Sergiu Musteata, Past for the Future and Future for the Past: Preservation and Promotion of the World Heritage Sites. An introduction

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Council Of Europe ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Efficient Management ◽  
The World ◽  
Common Resource ◽  
Cultural Heritage Preservation

Cultural Heritage is a common resource of people across the world, representing humanity’s relationship with the past and its traditions. Cultural heritage is diverse, and people have a common responsibility to understand and safeguard it for future generations (cf. ICOMOS, Venice Charter 1964). The UNESCO, Council of Europe and other international organizations have adopted several conventions in the area of cultural heritage preservation that set common rules and standards. All signatory countries have accordingly accepted to establish efficient management of and to safeguard the cultural heritage. As such, cultural heritage emerges as a key element of individual and social well-being, and its protection, management and planning entail rights and responsibilities for everyone.

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