Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

Pereira Roders, Ana ; Van Oers, Ron

2014 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

doi: 10.1108/JCHMSD-04-2014-0015

Purpose – This paper is an editorial to JCHMSD 's Volume 4, Issue 1 and its selection of papers. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the first three years of editorship, reporting a critical self-assessment on the progress achieved today in relation to JCHMSD 's initial aims and objectives, embedded in the state-of-the-art. Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds upon editorship observations exchanged among the editorial team over the last three years and a literature review on the 42 papers published in JCHMSD . The literature review focuses primarily on: purposes and design/methodology/approaches. The ways forward sets a research agenda, challenging those contributing to the unexplored questions with their research and/or practices, to join the JCHMSD community and enable a broader audience to, at least, learn from them. Findings – JCHMSD 's three aims have been achieved. The journal is publishing innovative research and practices, relating cultural heritage management and sustainable development, developing both skills and knowledge, with contributions from authors worldwide. A global aim being targeted by a rich variety of disciplines and approaches, from factual economy to critical anthropology. Approaches so far have been primarily qualitative, exploring pilot projects or case studies. Unfortunately, some conclusions of the papers lacked self-reflection, contextualizing findings to the explored case study, methods and sources. Originality/value – More than providing answers or secret recipes, this paper aims to raise questions and draft a research agenda of relevance for JCHMSD 's readership, reflecting on the state-of-the-art and selected papers in relation to their purposes and design/methodology/approaches. It also positions 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in this challenging discussion.

Poulios, Ioannis

2014 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

doi: 10.1108/JCHMSD-10-2012-0048

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of strategy in the field of heritage conservation, with a focus on a new conservation approach that promotes the empowerment of local communities and sustainable development: a living heritage approach. Design/methodology/approach – The approaches to heritage conservation are outlined: a material-based approach defines the principles of western-based conservation, a values-based approach expands these principles, while a living heritage approach clearly challenges the established principles. These approaches are, then, analysed from the perspective of strategy, and a living heritage approach is seen as an example of strategic innovation. The process by which ICCROM develops a living heritage approach at an international level is also examined. Findings – Choosing the “appropriate” conservation approach depends on the specific conditions of each heritage place. Yet, for the cases of living heritage in particular (with communities with an original connection with heritage) a living heritage approach would be more preferable. Living heritage approach can be seen as an example of a strategic innovation in the field of heritage conservation: it proposes a different concept of heritage and conservation (a new WHAT), points at a different community group as responsible for the definition and protection of heritage (a new WHO), and proposes a different way of heritage protection (a new HOW). Practical implications – A living heritage approach (presented in the paper) may potentially influence the theory as well as the practice of heritage conservation in a variety of parts and heritage places in the world, especially in terms of the attitude towards local and indigenous communities. Originality/value – Developing a new approach is, in a sense, developing a new strategy. In this context, the paper aims at bringing the insight of business strategy into the field of heritage conservation.

T. Carson, Mike

2014 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

doi: 10.1108/JCHMSD-03-2012-0012

Purpose – Landscapes bear potential as heritage resources, unifying natural and cultural history that can be experienced today in special preserved areas. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Geoarchaeological investigation 2006-2011 explored this potential at the Ritidian Unit of Guam National Wildlife Refuge. Findings – As experienced today, the Ritidian landscape heritage embodies the complex outcomes of a 3,500-year record of ecology and evolution. Research limitations/implications – A long-term perspective of unified natural-cultural history will increase scientific accuracy and enhance visitor experience of landscapes of heritage resources. Practical implications – Sustainable development of landscape heritage can occur most successfully in cases of thorough research in areas of protected and managed ecosystems with reasonable public access. Originality/value – The detailed results in this case may serve as a model example for other studies and programmes developing landscapes as heritage resources.

Karvelyte-Balbieriene, Vilma ; Grazuleviciute-Vileniske, Indre

2014 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

doi: 10.1108/JCHMSD-09-2012-0043

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the historical, cultural, and social significance and the role in landscapes of Lithuanian villages with churches and to formulate the hypothetical framework for their revitalization and consequent sustainable development of country's rural landscape. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology of the research encompassed the desktop study (analysis of literature, archival data, maps, and statistical data) and the analyses on site (observation, measurements, and recording in photographs of buildings and urban structures). Findings – The findings of the research include the analysis of the historical development of country's rural settlements with the religious function, formulation of the notion of the contemporary village with church, identification of the contemporary network of country's villages with churches and analysis of their current socioeconomic and sociocultural situation and the role in rural landscape. The results of the analyses were used formulating the hypothetical framework for the revitalization of the villages with churches and the sustainable development of the rural landscape. Originality/value – The analysis of literature demonstrated that Lithuanian villages with churches and their significance for the sustainable development of country's rural landscape are paradoxically neglected subjects. Meanwhile, the foreign experience has demonstrated that historic rural settlements, including the settlements with the religious function, are important not only as separate cultural assets but also can play an important role in the identity, viability, and the sustainable development of rural landscapes. Thus the findings of the research demonstrating the peculiarities and potential of Lithuanian villages with churches can be used in the fields of heritage preservation, landscape management, and rural development.

Swensen, Grete ; Sætren, Anne

2014 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

doi: 10.1108/JCHMSD-12-2012-0072

Purpose – To counteract processes of landscape deterioration, marginalisation and loss of cultural heritage due to rural restructuring of farming in late-modern Norwegian society, an agricultural landscape scheme started up in 2009. The purpose of this paper is to examine the way this recently introduced strategy of directing particular resources to a group of selected agricultural landscapes contributes in instigating integrated landscape management and to gain insight in the role cultural heritage play. Design/methodology/approach – The authors ask how potential conflicts between local interpretations of cultural heritage and the assessments made by authoritative heritage managers are expressed in the initial planning documents. Findings – While the reasoning and selection of the two areas are strongly influenced by the authoritative heritage discourse, the agricultural landscape scheme is nonetheless open to local adaptations and adjustments, and the two plans vary both in form and contents due to the major stress put on active involvement of farmers to render long-term management feasible. Research limitations/implications – Examination of the role cultural heritage plays is part of a larger research project where problems related to biodiversity, legal implication and public participation are dealt with separately. Originality/value – The study will provide important results for future adjustments and potential enlargement and has transfer value to conservation schemes in other European countries.

Vienni, Bianca

2014 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

doi: 10.1108/JCHMSD-11-2012-0066

Purpose – This paper presents the preliminary results of a research which relates two main strands: first, the socialization of scientific knowledge and second, the archaeological heritage. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the socialization process by integrating an “inter-approach” strategy in order to cope with the research problem. It also evaluates the potential of an interdisciplinary approach following the hypothesis that it strengthens the democratization process of scientific knowledge production. Design/methodology/approach – The combination, integration and convergence of different bodies of knowledge seek to collaborate in the construction of an enriching process looking for a stronger relationship between science and society. This is applied to a particular case study: the archaeological heritage of Uruguay. This study relates the concept of socialization of scientific knowledge to the strand of archaeological heritage through the construction of a common structure. Findings – In this sense, the authors study the socialization process of scientific knowledge in a way that helps illustrate its current features in Uruguay. It also permits us to consider socialization as a more committed process of identity construction in Uruguayan society. Originality/value – Socialization processes help to build the identity of a society in the interaction with science; socialization of Uruguayan archaeological heritage allows the creation of a shared memory embedded into the historical processes of the country. However, it requires an integrated and multivocal perspective to cope with its inherent complexity. In this sense, this research fills a void.