Garbs of emotion: Costume as an affective medium in Tumbbad

Country(side) in the Context of Climate Change The theme of this issue of M/C Journal is ‘country’, with a remit to contemplate the multifaceted and pliable deployment of that term. Notably, ‘country’ can be used synonymously with both ‘the rural’ and ‘the nation’, and in many contemporary western societies these evocations are not so far apart. Indeed, they often overlap: countryside landscapes (which may be either pastoral or wilderness) are frequently used as symbolic sites to encapsulate broader national imaginaries and thus project a wider sense of national identity and belonging. As David Bell argues, the (rural and/or ‘natural’) countryside is often deployed as a storehouse for cultural meanings associated with national values that “shor[e] up what it means to be English, or Dutch, or whatever” (151). This association is apparent in Australia too, where interleaving the countryside and nation-state is long-standing in settler (i.e. Anglo-Australian) landscape tropes, notably ‘the bush’, ‘the outback’ and the wheat/sheep farming belt (Gorman-Murray et al; Ward; Sarah Bell). My entry into this theme is through what might seem, at first glance, an obscure avenue: I provide a case study of the place of “Australia’s snow country” (AALC 16) – the Australian Alps – in national imaginaries. On the one hand, the snow country may appear marginal to national landscape tropes, in which images of the bush, beach, outback, desert and tropical islands dominate. This is perhaps most apparent in images used to ‘sell’ Australia in international tourism campaigns (Gorman-Murray et al; Waitt). But on the other hand, I argue, the snow country is also prominent in Australian lives, lifestyles and mythologies, evinced through several measures. At one level, the Australian Alps in New South Wales and Victoria, in particular, are widely known for winter ski and snow sports tourism, with alpine resorts generating $1.318 billion in economic activity and 17,030 jobs in 2005 (NIEIR). At another level, the Australian Alps have been a focus of national socioeconomic development through the Snowy Mountains Scheme’s massive engineering project, completed between 1949 and 1974. Apart from national development goals around power generation and farmland irrigation, the Scheme also brought large-scale non-British migration with far-reaching implications in shaping modern Australian society (Lennon). And from yet another perspective, the Australian Alps have their own particular place in settler mythologies through narratives of the cattlemen and stockmen of ‘the high country’ (a settler descriptor for the Alps) (Lennon; Truscott). The snow country, then, and especially the Australian Alps, does play a significant role in discourses of Australian nationhood, belonging and identity. I argue that the importance of the Australian Alps in national imaginaries is heightened in the current context of societal and political apprehension about the effects of human-induced climate change on Australia. Already the warmest and driest continent, modelling suggests the effects of global warming on Australia will be severe, with south-east Australia – the most temperate part of the continent, where both the Alps and the bulk of the population are located – becoming even drier and warmer (Lowe). The Garnaut Climate Change Review (www.garnautreview.org.au) indicates that without immediate measures, many of Australia’s fragile landscapes will be radically altered as soon as 2050, including the Murray-Darling Basin, the Great Barrier Reef, the Kakadu Wetlands and the Australian Alps (Garnaut, Draft Report; Garnaut, National Press Club Address; Peatling). With regard to the snow country, research from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) indicates imminent significant reduction in the area, depth and duration of snow cover in the Alps as a result of warming and drying, with high impact scenarios estimating more than 90% shrinkage in snow cover by 2050 (Hennessey et al). This will have severe impacts on local ecosystems (Pickering et al) and ski tourism (Bicknell and McManus). But what effect might this have on the cultural significance of the snow country in national imaginaries? How will the Alps be re-valued in light of climate change? Equally, this demands consideration of how the Alps are currently, and have previously been, placed in discourses of nationhood and identity, and whether these tropes are reflected, enhanced and/or transformed in the context of climate change. To address these issues, this essay provides three narratives about how the Australian Alps have been viewed and valued in national imaginaries, each focusing on past, present and ‘future’ visions of the snow country. I begin with the present, noting how the Alps are currently figured discursively as a unique national landscape. Present evocations are, of course, based on past practices, lives and mythologies, and so in the second narrative I turn to the Alps’ settler histories. I focus on the town of Kiandra, its association with snow and alpine imagery, and the way it provided a vector for further settlement and use of the Alps. But Kiandra is now a ghost town, serving as a harbinger of possible alpine futures. So the last narrative turns to concerns about the future of the Australian Alps, and what lessons could be learnt from the expected impact of climate change on the snow country. As this ordering suggests, rather than a presenting a wholly linear argument, these narratives bounce off each other, constellating temporally and spatially diverse perspectives on the Australian Alps. The data interpreted in this essay are drawn from current media commentaries, archival sources, landscape photography (of Kiandra), and a survey on the cultural significance of the Australian snow country in the light of climate change. Throughout the discussion I use a range of descriptors for the snow country – countryside, landscape and environment, for instance. While I recognise that some of these terms have distinct definitions in certain disciplines – e.g. contentions within cultural geography about the application of ‘landscape’ (Merriman et al) – I employ them in an interchangeable and non-technical manner to describe the snow country. The Australian Alps: a Unique National Landscape The Australian snow country comprises the alpine and sub-alpine bioregions – a particular group of landscapes with distinct flora and fauna determined by a combination of climate, altitude and seasonal snow cover, and thus restricted to the more mountainous terrain in the continent’s south-east corner (AALC). As Figure 1 below indicates, the largest (and most famous) zone of snow country is the Australian Alps, which stretch across NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Roughly 90% of this landscape is sub-alpine snow gum woodland, while the remaining 10% is the true alpine zone above the treeline, comprising herbaceous plants, shrubs and grasses. Snow cover in both the alpine and sub-alpine zones is seasonal, lasting from roughly May to October, but longer at higher altitudes and latitudes. Overall, the snow country makes up less than 1% of Australia’s land area, and over half of this is in the mainland Alps. Despite its limited range, this countryside is a critical component of wider ecological and hydrological conditions: the small area of high rainfall and snow cover comprising the Australian Alps “determine[s] the distribution of water to rivers, and therefore to people, in a way that affects the whole of south-eastern Australia” (Slattery 5). Figure 1: Australian alpine and sub-alpine areas. Hydrological importance aside, the Australian Alps are also culturally significant in national imaginaries. In June 2008, the Alps were chosen as one of only eight ‘national landscapes’ to be featured in Tourism Australia’s new eponymous marketing initiative, pitched as a “unique Australian destination” to international tourists (Talip 4). The ‘National Landscapes’ campaign explicitly links the snow country with national identity, configuring the Alps as an archetypical Australian landscape. Peter Jacobs, the Australian Alps Region National Landscapes Steering Committee chairman, explained the connection between the landscape and a unique Australian experience: Touring in the high country and experiencing the vast alpine landscapes, the beautiful, majestic snow gum forest is a feature that really stands out for people. And the other thing that people often find a bit odd about the Australian Alps, especially from overseas, is the snow experience and although we’re not necessarily trying to compete with international larger resorts, the whole concept of snow in Australia and being able to ski and see a snow-covered alpine landscape is very unique. (Talip 4) Snowy climatic conditions, then, are a critical element in the Alps’ national importance. But at the same time, the significance of the Australian Alps as a national landscape is not due simply to winter ski tourism. Other cultural narratives render the snow country central to Australian nationhood and cultural identity. These are also iterated by Peter Jacobs: “It’s a lot to do with the stories of […] early settlers like cattlemen and miners, the Man from Snowy River. There’s a real cultural link to the adventure of the Alps” (Talip 4). Jacobs thus draws attention to the place of the Alps in some of the central motifs of Australia’s defining bush mythologies – the pioneering cattlemen and stockmen, their role in domesticating the countryside, and their memorialisation in the well-known narrative of The Man from Snowy River (Truscott). While these configurations are white and masculine, certainly not all-inclusive or mindful of Indigenous displacement, they have been nevertheless fundamental in framing the cultural heritage and legacy of the Australian Alps. The Man from Snowy River, writt

Borneo Virtual Reality: A Walkthrough

This study explored the separate and interacting relations of family (cultural pluralism, promotion of mistrust) and school (equal treatment, intercultural learning) ethnic-racial socialization with cultural (heritage culture and German) identity among adolescents of immigrant descent. Analyses were based on survey data from 311 early to mid-adolescents in Germany ( M age = 13.85, SD = 1.82). Higher family cultural pluralism and intercultural learning at school were related to higher heritage culture identity, while higher equal treatment at school was related to lower heritage culture identity. Higher intercultural learning and equal treatment at school were related to higher German identity. Family promotion of mistrust had no direct relation to heritage culture or German identity. The interaction of family promotion of mistrust and equal treatment at school had relations to heritage culture but not to German identity. These findings expand our understanding of the complementary roles of family and school for supporting cultural identity development.

<p>This thesis proposes a composite framework for the evaluation of the environmental impact of tourism development on host destinations. In this study, the environmental impact of tourism is considered as a social-ecological phenomenon that can be categorized into the two aspects of natural and social-cultural impacts. Ecotourism is introduced as a type of sustainable tourism in that its policies and principles for development are based on conservation of environmental heritage (including natural and cultural heritage) via engagement of local people and communities in the tourism development process. The proposed composite framework arises from the integration of an ecological and a cultural framework for the sustainable development of tourism. This framework places the conservation of natural resources as the main ecological outcome for eco-tourism. The proposed framework uses the ecological footprint (EF) of the main tourism activities and services (including transportation, food and accommodation services) as the ecological indicator for evaluation of ecotourism development to ensure it is ecologically compatible. Ecological footprint (EF) is a way of measuring environmental impact. It assumes that everything needed for living, including all energy, goods and services can be obtained from land, and that any wastes produced can be absorbed by land (Wackernagel and Rees, 1996:9). Because land productivity varies considerably around the world the average global productivity is the normal measure, and this is called global hectares (gha). The ecological footprint of a product or activity produced/ consumed and conducted by a defined group of people can be measured through the following equation: EF (gha) = Lifecycle energy use of a given group of people (product and activity pro-duced or conducted) Gigajoules (GJ) / carrying capacity of the Earth (GJ/gha). The above equation determines the area required to produce resources and to absorb pollutants like carbon dioxide generated in the lifecycle energy use of the product or activity through using fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). Through using an ecological perspective, this thesis views culture as a system that links a group of people or a community to their surroundings through their use of local mate-rials and energies, and the production and consumption of products from these. The proposed framework determines the main cultural outcomes for ecotourism development such as conservation of heritage and making the host people aware of their cultural values. In addition, it introduces related activities such as social events, conservation of heritage and producing and consuming local products as contributive activities for achieving the outcomes stated above. Furthermore it investigates and refines a number of indicators that can be used as tools for evaluation of the cultural footprint of the development of ecotourism. Within these, local gross domestic product (GDP) as a social-economic indicator arising from tourism activities is also considered. This thesis concludes by presenting a case study of ‘The Otago Central Rail Trail’ (OCRT) as an example of ecotourism. The OCRT was introduced in the New Zealand Tourism Strategy (NZTS) for 2015 as a successful model for community-based development of sustainable tourism. The investigation reviews the impacts of the OCRT on natural and cultural heritage by using the framework developed in the thesis and its related ecological and cultural indicators. Through using the proposed holistic framework and the model for sustainable development of ecotourism, this thesis finds that, influenced by the development of the OCRT, many cultural heritage items including 60 bridges, 3 tunnels, and 78 buildings (used as OCRT accommodation services) have been refurbished. The restoration of this heritage can be considered as a policy that contributes to awareness of OCRT residents of their cultural heritage and identity. Likewise, as a part of the educational process related to ecotourism, this also makes an opportunity for OCRT visitors to learn about the cultural values of their host people. As shown in Table 5.84, in 2011, the total EF of 11,788 OCRT visitors including the EFs of the four categories of transportation, food, accommodation and activities is 1,617 gha (0.138 gha /visitor). In comparison with the EF of 0.03 gha/ visitor for sustainable tourism (see Table 5.86), the overshoot portion of the EF of the OCRT is equivalent to (0.138 – 0.03) 0.108 gha/ visitor. Likewise the total overshoot EF of 11,788 OCRT visitors is (11,788 visitors × 0.108 gha) 1,273 gha (see Table 5.86). This overshoot EF of the OCRT indicates that although the project has already been considered as a successful sustainable tourism project, still needs to reduce its total EF by 1,273 gha to be environmentally sustainable. As determined in Chapter 5 (see Table 5.88), the overshoot portion of the OCRT is calculated as 127,310.4 GJ/year. Since the costs to generate 1 GJ of overshoot energy use through using renewable energy sources (in this case wind + solar) is NZ$ 19.8, consequently the total cost to generate the overshoot energy use of the OCRT through using the latter systems (wind + solar) is equivalent to (127,310.4 GJ × NZ$ 19.8) NZ$ 2,720,746. Table 5.90 shows that in 2011, the total GDP of the OCRT is NZ$ 6,245,289 This means the total cost that must be spent to generate the overshoot portion of the OCRT energy use in a sustainable way (NZ$ 2,720,746) is 43.6% of its total GDP (NZ$ 6,245,289). Consequently the sustainable portion of the GDP (GDPs) of the OCRT is (NZ$ 6,245,289 – NZ$ 2, 720,746) NZ$ 3,524,543. The results of this thesis demonstrate that using local products (e.g. home prepared foods) as a sustainable cultural behavior not only contributes to the ability of the host destinations located along the OCRT (such as Naseby and Cromwell, used as further case studies) to present their cultural products, but also contributes to reduce the environmental impacts and increase the economic outcomes of the OCRT. For example, producing 17% (13,346.4 kg) of the total of 65165.05 kg consumed food as home prepared food reduces by 5.5% the ecological footprint related to the food consumed by OCRT visitors. As determined in Chapters 5 and 6, in three case studies, producing home prepared food contributes in a sustainable way to the increasing of the economic outcomes by about NZ$3.5 / kg of food produced. This thesis indicates that in all three case studies, using refurbished buildings as accommodation services, which is considered as an activity that contributes to preserving the cultural identity of the host destinations also contributes to reducing of environmental impacts and increasing the economic outcomes related to OCRT. For example in OCRT using 12.9% of bed space as refurbished buildings reduces by14.5% (7.3gha) the total 50.5 gha ecological footprint of accommodation services compared with when all accommodation buildings are assumed as new buildings. Chapters 5 and 6 determine that in OCRT using 21,378 m2 of refurbished buildings as accommodation services (12.9% of total bed spaces) increases by 5% the sustainable portion of GDP related to accommodation services. In Naseby also using refurbished buildings as accommodation services has the same sustainable ecological, cultural and economic outcomes as for the OCRT as a whole. The framework indicates the use of open air areas as being a cultural-ecological indicator for evaluation of architecture as being sustainable. Through using the framework, it is determined that using open air areas including balconies and verandas as part of OCRT accommodation buildings exerts environmentally friendly influences on the host destination. For instance in OCRT using 387 square meters of veranda and balcony as part of the 80,356m2 accommodation buildings decreases by 1.5% the total ecological footprint (50.5gha) of buildings used as accommodation services in OCRT. The thesis results demonstrate that an architecture that will contribute to sustainable development through ecotourism has a cultural footprint area in which the architecture contributes to the host societies knowing and preserving their cultural identity, capitals and heritages. Simultaneously, it contributes to reducing the environmental impacts and increasing the economic outcomes of the host societies through ecotourism. This thesis determines that since all ecological, cultural and economic characteristics of sustainable architecture are linked together, a strategy to develop sustainable architecture is successful when it considers the linkage between all of these profiles and influences that they exert on each other.</p>

The research provides a comprehensive investigation into the profound impact of museum exhibits, particularly those centered on potent symbols, on audience cultural identity and cross-cultural exchange, especially within the contemporary context of globalization. It elucidates the pivotal role played by museums as essential conduits of cultural expression, leveraging historical artifacts and symbolic representations not only to deepen audience appreciation of their own cultural heritage but also to foster empathy and appreciation for the diverse cultural perspectives prevalent worldwide. Through meticulous analysis of these exhibits, the study reveals the intricate cultural narratives they convey, thus emphasizing the critical role museums play in facilitating profound cross-cultural understanding, nurturing meaningful cultural dialogue, and shaping both individual and collective cultural identities. By showcasing objects rich in historical significance, aesthetic beauty, and societal values, museums emerge as dynamic platforms for cultural interpretation and exchange, effectively bridging cultural divides and promoting mutual understanding amidst the diverse tapestry of global cultures.

This investigation identifies, the cognitive impact and the emotional response that the image of destination produced in subjects immersed in virtual reality, by deconstructing the traditional image model in all its forms, the study focuses on tourist destinations characterized by Spanish historical, cultural, and architectural heritage. The cognitive and affective responses are analyzed using a measurement scale obtained from a questionnaire and the application of structural equations. The results show that the cognitive and emotional response caused by cultural heritage through virtual reality in individuals is positive.KeywordsVirtual realityHeritageTourist destination imageCognitive and emotional responses

Art education has long been a vital domain for expressing, preserving, and transmitting cultural memory and national values. In an era marked by globalization and rapid digitalization, these values face challenges, with younger generations often exposed to transnational and multicultural narratives that may overshadow local traditions. This study proposes a transdisciplinary framework in art education to bridge cultural heritage with modern educational content, ensuring a balanced approach to teaching both artistic techniques and cultural identity. Through mixed methods—including qualitative interviews, case studies, and a quantitative experimental study—this research assesses the effectiveness of integrating cultural memory and national values in art education. Our findings underscore the value of a curriculum focused on national identity, showing significant improvements in students’ awareness and appreciation of their cultural roots. Additionally, we explore challenges faced by educators and institutions in implementing transdisciplinary approaches. This study contributes to a growing field of educational research emphasizing cultural heritage in contemporary learning, offering insights for policymakers, educators, and curriculum developers. Results suggest that a transdisciplinary approach in art education fosters a culturally aware and globally informed student body, equipped to navigate and appreciate both local and global perspectives. This article explores the intersection of transdisciplinary research and art education, focusing on the role of cultural memory and national values in modern artistic content. As societies undergo rapid globalization and modernization, art education plays a crucial role in preserving and reshaping cultural identities, fostering national values, and transmitting collective memory through art. By adopting a transdisciplinary research approach, which integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines such as art history, sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies, art education systems can provide more holistic and contextually relevant frameworks for understanding national identity in the modern world. This article examines how cultural memory is encoded in visual arts, the reinterpretation of national values in contemporary artistic practices, and the transformative potential of art education in shaping national consciousness. Through the lens of transdisciplinary research, the paper highlights the evolving nature of national values in art education and their relevance in the digital age, where global and local influences converge.

In the field of modern and contemporary design, digital media art has emerged as a pivotal discipline, propelled by rapid advancements in science and technology, as well as shifting socio-cultural dynamics. This artistic medium has profoundly influenced modern design, fostering innovative creative expressions. Within the context of China’s rich cultural heritage, an increasing emphasis on localized esthetics has revitalized modern design, reinforcing its cultural identity. As a quintessential representation of Chinese visual esthetics, traditional Chinese painting encapsulates profound national esthetic philosophies, artistic techniques, and cultural narratives. This study aims to explore the intrinsic relationship between digital media art and Chinese painting by tracing the fundamental principles, stylistic evolution, and theoretical underpinnings of Chinese painting. Employing a narrative research methodology, the study investigates the practical integration of Chinese painting into digital media art, examining its potential to enhance visual storytelling, interactive experiences, and contemporary artistic innovation. Furthermore, the research highlights the role of digital media in the preservation, reinterpretation, and global dissemination of traditional Chinese painting. By bridging historical artistic traditions with contemporary digital practices, this study seeks to contribute to the sustainable development of China’s cultural heritage in the digital age while offering new perspectives for artistic innovation and cross-cultural dialogue.

Urban squares play a crucial role in representing culture, fostering social interaction, and reinforcing cultural identity. In Baotou, Inner Mongolia, urban squares rarely reflect Mongolian culture, leading to a diminished sense of cultural identity and less visitor engagement. This paper examines ways to bolster cultural identity and improve user interaction by integrating Mongolian cultural elements into the design of urban squares. Leveraging the Cultural Identity Theory (CIT) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this research investigates users’ psychological and behavioural reactions to culturally enriched public spaces. A thematic literature synthesis highlights key factors that engage users: emotional responses, cultural identification, and perceived behavioural control. The results reveal that cultural authenticity is vital for fostering a sense of belonging, enhancing user satisfaction, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of culture. Theoretically, this study contributes to urban planning literature by merging CIT and TPB. Practically, it provides insights for urban planners, architects, and policymakers on crafting inclusive and culturally dynamic public spaces. This synthesis of TPB and CIT creates a unique theoretical framework in which CIT clarifies how cultural symbols shape identity and a sense of belonging, while TPB predicts how psychological constructs translate into active participation. Integrating these two models enriches the current understanding of user engagement within culturally rich urban environments.

This article explores the findings of our recent work with the Chilean community in Liverpool, investigating the importance of music as an individual and collective inheritance and how music is valued and attached to a sense of self, place and belonging. Using a novel methodology based on BBC Radio Four’s programme ‘Inheritance Tracks’, participants took part in workshops where they discussed two pieces of music, one passed on to them and one they wish to pass on, explaining why the pieces were important and what they evoked. To reinforce reminiscence we introduced personal objects and artefacts into workshops and one-to-one interviews. The article illustrates how using music to stimulate discussion about the past results in emotional and affectionate responses to recalling times and places, with a lesser focus on actions, activities and structures. It explores how music in individual and group activities helps migrant communities maintain their cultural heritage and identity while building new lives, providing a means for forming bonds with the host culture and – in this case – a link with Chile. It investigates how music-inspired reminiscence activities can bring out emotional wellbeing benefits in the present, unlocking memories and related positive emotions and facilitating inter-generational communication and understanding.

Human rights discourses have significant relevance to contemporary understandings of heritage and its conservation, particularly in the context of the key international conventions for safeguarding the world’s cultural heritage promulgated by UNESCO. The right to heritage is recognized as a human right falling under the right to culture or cultural identity. However, states are the primary bodies responsible for heritage identification and conservation, and may prefer to preserve the heritage of dominant social groups. Heritage identification and management by states, including the nomination of items for inclusion on the World Heritage List of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the Representative List of the Convention for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage, thus has the potential to compromise the cultural rights of marginalized social groups, including women. Existing research and original research discussed herein reveal a dearth of heritage associated with women on both Lists. However, the problematic gender dynamics of this discourse goes beyond simple representativeness to encompass the ways in which women and their heritage are portrayed. The Representative List typically seeks to maintain existing social relations, including gender relations, with negative implications for women’s human rights set out in the UN Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Syrian Cultural Property in the Crossfire:

Nigeria, a country renowned for its diverse cultural heritage with over 250 ethnic groups, provides a unique case study of the interplay between tradition and modernity in architecture. The erosion of traditional architectural practices not only undermines Nigeria's cultural identity but also neglects sustainable and cost-effective indigenous building practices. As universal architecture patterns highlight the preservation of heritage through adaptive reuse, Nigeria struggles to find implantable frameworks for incorporating these practices into modern designs. This study investigates the integration of cultural heritage into contemporary Nigerian architectural design, emphasizing the incorporation of traditional elements in modern buildings. It addresses the challenges of globalization, urbanization, and modernization, which have marginalized traditional architectural practices and threatened Nigeria's rich cultural heritage and identity. A qualitative case study methodology was adopted, examining six buildings across three regions of Nigeria: Enugu (Southeast), Kano (Northwest), and Lagos (Southwest). These regions represent the architectural traditions of the Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, and Yoruba ethnic groups. Purposive sampling was used to select case studies that illustrate the integration of traditional materials, design elements, and cultural motifs. Institutional and public buildings were prioritized due to their prominence in architectural innovation and cultural representation. This sample size was chosen to provide sufficient diversity in design approaches while remaining manageable within the study's scope. Data collection included photographic documentation, geospatial tools, and thematic analysis to examine cultural, environmental, and functional implications of traditional architectural integration. Key themes explored include material sustainability, cultural symbolism, spatial organization, and balancing tradition with modernity. Findings reveal that traditional elements such as courtyards, mud bricks, and geometric motifs significantly enhance cultural relevance and environmental sustainability in contemporary Nigerian architecture. Nevertheless, challenges including economic constraints, urbanization pressures, and changing social perceptions of traditional designs limit broader adoption. The study concludes that integrating cultural heritage into modern architectural practices is vital for preserving Nigeria’s architectural identity while addressing sustainability goals. The findings underscore the need for deliberate efforts to preserve and adapt cultural heritage within modern architectural frameworks, ensuring that Nigeria’s rich architectural identity is safeguarded amidst rapid modernization. This research contributes to the discourse on architectural heritage by offering actionable strategies for blending traditional and modern practices. Recommendations include policy support, education, and community engagement to foster cultural preservation, sustainability, and innovation in Nigerian architecture.

This article examines the critical importance of developing a reflective understanding of culture, cultural identity, and cultural heritage in our increasingly interconnected, post-digital world. It begins by defining these key concepts and exploring their evolution in the contemporary context. The study then investigates how cultural representations are shaped and disseminated in the post-digital age, with a particular focus on the “Talahon” phenomenon as a case study. This example illustrates the power of digital media in amplifying and perpetuating cultural stereotypes, while also demonstrating the complex interplay between self-representation and external perception. The article argues that essentialist views of culture can lead to harmful “othering” practices, reinforcing societal divisions and inequalities. To counter these effects, it advocates for a constructivist approach to understanding cultural identity, emphasizing the fluid and multifaceted nature of cultural belonging. The conclusion underscores the need for critical media literacy, inclusive policies, and the promotion of reciprocity and trust in building cohesive societies. By fostering a more nuanced comprehension of culture, this work aims to contribute to the development of more inclusive and equitable social dynamics in diverse communities.

The emotions perceived by tourists and their effects in the tourism context are increasingly highlighted in tourism studies. In the cultural heritage tourism context, tourists’ emotional experience comes from their cognitive evaluation of the natural environment and the humanistic environment and triggers deep cognitive processing and prosocial behavior, further building tourists’ identity with culture and enhancing their awareness and heritage conservation behavior. Based on the theory of emotional evaluation and positive emotional expansion and construction, this study constructed the research model of emotional arousal—positive emotional experience—tourists’ cultural identity—heritage protection behavior. Three hundred and ninety-seven tourists’ data were empirically tested using the World Heritage Site, the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, as a case site. The study found that in the cultural heritage tourism context, the cognitive evaluation of the natural and humanistic environment has the effect of inducing positive emotional experience among tourists; positive emotional experience positively influences tourists’ cultural identity and heritage conservation behavior; and they are part of the mediating variables of tourists’ emotion elicitation and cultural identity. The results of this study will further enrich the theoretical research on emotions in the cultural heritage tourism context and also help the relevant departments of cultural heritage tourism further enhance tourists’ cultural identity and heritage conservation behaviors from the perspective of tourists’ emotional experience. The future research could focus on investigating the emotional triggers’ impact on tourists’ cultural identity and heritage conservation behavior in relation to a particular cultural experience activity.