Heritage Program Research Articles

Making Archives in Place: adopting a creative exchange approach in heritage research

ABSTRACT This paper provides a reflexive account of creative exchange in critical heritage studies research. It does so by recounting the methodological opportunities and challenges of researching on a large interdisciplinary heritage programme. We tested this creative exchange approach when undertaking fieldwork with a museum and a history society in the UK’s Clay Country in Cornwall, which resulted in a public-facing output: a short film titled ‘Archives in Place’. We argue that this creative exchange approach enabled us to cross-fertilise our heritage research themes of ‘transformation’ and ‘profusion’, and we illustrate how new insights were revealed through examples taken while we were recording, analysing and editing the short film. By means of conclusion, we encourage heritage researchers to critically engage with methods and to have confidence in experimenting with creative methodologies which have the potential to open up new perspectives for heritage studies.

Examining the Impact of Young People's Involvement in Cultural Heritage Preservation and Promotion

Culture is vital in preserving history and continuity of traditions, and that is why cultural practices should be protected and supported. It is important to understand young people's participation in these activities first because they are the key to sustaining the efforts in the future. This study examines the impact of young people's involvement in cultural heritage (CH) through four key variables, knowledge (KNW), engagement in activities (EIA), interest in participation (IIP), and impact perception (IP). The data were administered through a structured questionnaire, which was distributed among 300 students from schools and colleges. Several statistical tests were conducted such as reliability tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Chi-Square tests, and descriptive analysis using SPSS version 20. The results of the reliabilities of the scales showed that KNW and IIP are very reliable and EIA and IP are comparatively slightly less reliable. The outcome of the ANOVA revealed differences in the variables with a notable F-value signifying variability in responses. Results of chi-square tests showed that KNW and IIP were significant at p < 0.05 while EIA and IP were not significant. The mean score for all the variables was determined using descriptive statistics, and results showed that IIP had the highest mean score meaning that youths were willing to participate in cultural heritage activities. The study also identifies KNW and IIP as key elements that affect youth engagement in the preservation of cultural heritage. It indicates or rather underlines the possibility of harnessing this, interest to improve further on cultural heritage programs.

A muon beam monitor for the CHNet-MAXI experiment at the RIKEN-RAL laboratory

The CHNet-MAXI experiment (Muonic Atom X-ray and prompt gamma spectroscopy for Isotopic analysis for cultural heritage) is an INFN Cultural Heritage program funded by Scientific Commission V, aiming at selecting the best figures of merit in the isotopic analysis of lead by means of muonic atom emission. The experiment will be deployed at RIKEN-RAL facility ISIS-STFC (UK), providing a pulsed muon beams with momenta between 15 and 90 MeV/c. The CHNet-MAXI apparatus will be mainly based on a 9 HPGe detectors array and innovative scintillator detectors read-out by SiPMs for the detection of the characteristic X and gamma rays emitted by isotopically enriched targets of Pb 204, 206, 207 and 208, after negative muon irradiation at the RIKEN-RAL beamlines. A muon beam hodoscope will be used as a beam x/y profiler and as a beam intensity monitor. This detector has been designed to provide a few mm spacial resolution, and it is based on 3 mm thick scintillating fibers, each read-out by a single SiPM at one edge. The setup is meant to be portable thanks to desktop HV and innovative open-FPGA DAQ modules. All the phases of the design, assembly, and testing of the CHNet-MAXI hodoscope are illustrated. Finally, first operation tests of this new beam monitor are shown.

Urban renewal and heritage in Brussels, Belgium: participation as the keystone

ABSTRACT Brussels, like many European capitals, is undergoing constant change. The changing use of its districts is giving rise to new problems. To revitalise neighbourhoods in difficulty, Brussels-Capital Region has for many years put in place a number of tools, including Sustainable Neighbourhood Contracts, Urban Renewal Contracts and other specific urban policies. The Regional Administration is responsible for the implementation of a large part of the urban policies and the Urban Renewal Department coordinates the programmes which are implemented by the local authorities concerned, with technical expertise of local consultancies and associations. Our paper describes some on the urban renewal and heritage programmes and provides some examples of finished schemes.

Analysis of land-use change in Mandrolisai 1860 to 2016: a case study from Sardinia (Italy)

ABSTRACT The focus on rural landscapes, already present in ‘Agenda 2000’, is reconfirmed for the CAP 2023–2027 (Green Deal). The CAP programmes have, however, often turned out to be generic and unsuited to the multifaceted reality of Mediterranean Europe, while FAO-GIAHS and UNESCO World Heritage programmes suit large territories. Both, as well as the CAP, support the conservation or renaturalisation of rural landscapes but cannot apply prescriptions at the planning stage. In Italy, the ‘Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape’ contains prescriptive measures that the regions must include in their Landscape Plan (RLP); the municipalities must then adopt Urban Plans in accordance with the RLP. In Sardinia, RLP has protected the coastal areas (49.6 per cent of the 24,000 km2 surface area of the island) since 2006 but does not provide detailed guidelines for inland areas. We therefore tested the methodology proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture for recovering Historic Rural Landscapes in a study area of 23.63 km2 located in the heart of the island (in Mandrolisai region), where the two rural villages of Atzara and Sorgono border a system of traditional vineyards. Comparison of the 1860–1880 Land Register data, images from the first (1954) and last air flight (2016) shows that the agro-silvo-pastoral system has not changed structurally. In 2016, 53 per cent of the analysed area retains the same land-use macrocategories as the 1954 aerial photographs. Despite wide fluctuations in some agricultural crops, the most characteristic ones tend to occupy the same places, e.g., 72 per cent of 2016 vineyards compared to 1954. The biggest changes have been the transformation of natural pastures into cork oak wooded pastures, due to the sustained demand for cork.

Paradiplomacy and Its Influence on Visitor Trends at Twin World Heritage Sites: A Case Study of Borobudur Temple 2018-2019

Indonesia, recognized for its substantial tourism potential, has leveraged the iconic Borobudur Temple, a premier cultural heritage site, to bolster its international cultural diplomacy and marketing efforts. This study examines the impact of the Twin World Heritage cooperation program implemented by the Indonesian government through PT. Taman Wisata Candi, on visitor numbers at Borobudur Temple during 2018-2019. The program epitomizes a strategic approach to enhancing cultural relations by facilitating cross-border collaborations and the exchange of expertise in cultural preservation and promotion. Situated in Magelang, Central Java, the Twin World Heritage Program at Borobudur Temple has not only elevated the temple's global profile but has also served as a pivotal instrument in strengthening international cultural ties and fostering mutual appreciation and understanding across nations. The empirical data from this study reveal a notable increase in visitor attendance: domestic visitor figures rose from 3,663,054 in 2018 to 3,747,757 in 2019, while foreign visitor numbers increased from 192,231 to 242,082 over the same period. These findings affirm the program's efficacy in harnessing Borobudur's potential and generating significant socio-economic benefits across multiple sectors.

The role of the “Madeni Mura” Program in the context of the nation-building policy of Kazakhstan

The article provides a comprehensive historical analysis of the history of the origin of the state program “cultural heritage” adopted by the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2004, the search for valuable documents, manuscripts, books, information related to the history of Kazakhstan from foreign archives and libraries, which became one of the most important areas within the framework of the program, their copying and import into the country, thereby enriching our spiritual and cultural heritage. This program was accepted by Kazakhstanis with great pleasure. Cultural heritage is a sign of a civilized society. The program consists of spiritual and moral values, as well as a comprehensive work taken to pass on the rich historical heritage of our people from generation to generation. The preservation of cultural heritage is of great importance for each of the peoples of the world. The program is aimed at developing and consolidating the national consciousness of Kazakhstanis. The purpose of writing the article by the authors is to determine the role of the Mindeni Mura program in considering the state-building policy of Kazakhstan over the years of independence, and to conduct a historical analysis.The relevance of the article lies in the fact that in the history of an independent country, the adoption of state programs in this direction is very important. Within the framework of the state program “Madeni Mura”, the rich historical heritage of our people was enriched with valuable relics from foreign archives. This program was the beginning of the subsequent programs “People in the Stream of History”, “Archive-2025”. The authors conclude that the study and introduction into scientific circulation of valuable documents brought to the country through the Madeni Mura Heritage program was a great step in the development of Kazakhstan's State-Building policy.

CHEX-MATE: Robust reconstruction of temperature profiles in galaxy clusters with XMM-Newton

The “Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton: Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the End point of structure formation” (CHEX-MATE) is a multi-year heritage program to obtain homogeneous XMM-Newton observations of a representative sample of 118 galaxy clusters. The observations are tuned to reconstruct the distribution of the main thermodynamic quantities of the intra-cluster medium up to R500 and to obtain individual mass measurements, via the hydrostatic-equilibrium equation, with a precision of 15−20%. Temperature profiles are a necessary ingredient for the scientific goals of the project and it is thus crucial to derive the best possible temperature measurements from our data. This is why we have built a new pipeline for spectral extraction and analysis of XMM-Newton data, based on a new physically motivated background model and on a Bayesian approach with Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, which we present in this paper for the first time. We applied this new method to a subset of 30 galaxy clusters representative of the CHEX-MATE sample and show that we can obtain reliable temperature measurements up to regions where the source intensity is as low as 20% of the background, keeping systematic errors below 10%. We compare the median profile of our sample and the best-fit slope at large radii with literature results and we find a good agreement with other measurements based on XMM-Newton data. Conversely, when we exclude the most contaminated regions, where the source intensity is below 20% of the background, we find significantly flatter profiles, in agreement with predictions from numerical simulations and independent measurements with a combination of Sunyaev–Zeldovich and X-ray imaging data.

Promoting Heritage Language: A Phenomenological Study on the Approaches Used by Cordilleran Students

Heritage languages are crucial to identity and community cohesion, but they face a threat from dominant global languages in education, media, and mobility. This threatens their transmission between generations and risks their survival and evolution. This phenomenological study aimed to investigate the approaches utilised by university students in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in one of the universities in Northern Philippines to promote their heritage languages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively sampled participants who met specified inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis uncovered four main strategies students employ: intergenerational family transmission, interpersonal sharing and storytelling, informal peer teaching and exchange, and online dissemination. Findings reveal the vital role of families in developing heritage language proficiency through exclusive daily use and active transmission across generations. Students leverage interpersonal interactions and storytelling to affirm cultural identities and foster belonging. Peer teaching enables organic exchange and retention through translation, lessons, and collaborative projects. Interactive online platforms provide expanded reach for promoting heritage beyond local communities. Overall, promotion occurs through interconnected familial, social, educational, and virtual modes that empower students as change agents counteracting assimilation pressures. This contributes to identity formation, pluralism, and sustaining marginalised traditions often excluded from formal domains. Recommendations include an integrated approach reinforcing students' informal efforts through heritage programmes, intergenerational activities, media guidance, policy support, and community collaboration. Formal initiatives should strategically nurture familial foundations and amplify student-driven promotion spanning diverse spheres.

“Won't You Help to Sing These Songs of Freedom?”: Sharing Authority, Co-curation, and Supporting Community-Driven Heritage Work

AbstractFolklorists should enable communities to research and represent their culture on their own terms through yielding authority and facilitating their investigation of the community's own heritage. Community scholar programs in the United States provide training in research, interpretation, and methods of representation. The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage has carried out community-driven heritage programs in tourism, curriculum development, and the research and presentation of personal adornment. This liberatory, community-centered heritage work contrasts with some conventional approaches of cultural workers that reinforce colonialist and racist structures and the abuse of heritage by racist extremists.

World Heritage and/as placemaking: Learning from the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in China

This study examines how Unesco’s World Heritage Program creates the official heritage narrative and what role tourism plays in constructing the narrative. It is based on the hypothesis that touristic considerations are built into the heritage-making process. Theoretically, it confronts Di Giovine’s (2008) ritual process. Instead of seeing heritage-making as producing heritage-scape, we frame this process as placemaking. We revisit his model by focusing on what constitutes a site’s official heritage narrative, and the procedures for creating it. An alternative model of “locate the idea of heritage – idealize heritage narrative – reproduce heritage narrative” is proposed. The model is used to examine the Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (HHRTs) in Yunnan in China. The empirical results 1) reveal the factors and process of defining heritage boundaries and selecting heritage elements; 2) present the methods and strategies the member state uses to idealize the narrative in this text-based communication; 3) identify two means by which the official narrative continues to reproduce after designation. The empirical observation also substantiates our hypothesis of tourism as a co-producer of heritage due to accessibility and management issues. It helps to understand that the very construction of a place as a World Heritage site (WHS) also entails tactics and compromises – that it is not simply about “pure” Outstanding Universal Value, but also about touristic meaning.

Current results and future prospectives on the XMM–Newton Heritage project CHEX-MATE, and on the non-thermal pressure in galaxy clusters

The Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton – Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation (CHEX-MATE) is a Multi-Year Heritage Programme to obtain X-ray observations of a minimally-biased, signal-to-noise-limited sample of galaxy clusters detected by Planck through the Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect. The program aims to study the ultimate products of structure formation in time and mass. On behalf of our large international collaboration, I will summarize the most recent results obtained, highlighting the role of multi-band datasets in resolving the astrophysics of the most massive collapsed halos in the universe and in studying the interplay between hot plasma and dark matter. I will also present some new methods for estimating the non-thermal pressure support in galaxy clusters, and how we can convert it into a measurement of the hydrostatic mass bias, also for a cosmological purpose. These studies will pave the way for using the next generation of X-ray observatories to construct a consistent picture of the formation and composition in mass and energy of galaxy clusters.

Geoheritage of the Kaliningrad Region, SE Baltic Coast

The Kaliningrad Region is physiographically a mosaic and travel-attractive part of the SE Baltic coast. The Sambia Peninsula, the geomorphically most interesting, E-W-oriented extension of the mainland, has been shaped by past dynamic processes, starting with the Precambrian tectonics, the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sea transitions, the Last Ice Age glaciations, the post-glacial riverine network formation, and the present shoreline erosion. The complex geological and palaeogeographical history generated a broad variety of geo-forms and landscapes, relicts of which are seen from the sea coast to the mainland. Rich fossils sealed in ancient, well-stratified formations of specific lithologies, with the famous Palaeogene amber beds, provide witness of past natural settings with flourishing life forms. The great geo-diversity of the peninsula underscores its scientific value as well as national and international tourism significance, adding to the historical architectural sites of this area. Some of these geomorphologically and geologically valuable places are increasingly threatened, besides anthropogenic factors, by storm surges, gravity flows and aeolian activity, causing progressing erosion along undercut cliffs, slumping and degradation of sand dune fields, among other geo-hazards. Survey, mapping and publicity of unique geo-sites are a proviso for their registration in natural heritage programmes with the implementation of appropriate geo-environmental protection strategies in balance with land-use management. This paper outlines the scientific, educational and touristic potential of the national geoheritage in the frame of the Baltic Sea coast geo-conservation initiatives.

Flora of six Lower Mississippi River islands (U.S.A.)

Lower Mississippi River islands are part of the last remaining floodplain habitat of the river, and studying their biodiversity is important to understand the river ecosystem. We conducted a floristic survey of six Lower Mississippi River islands between river miles 668 and 526 in southern Arkansas and northern Mississippi. These islands contain a variety of habitats and span a range of sizes, from 106 to 697 vegetated hectares. We identified 491 taxa (485 species plus six infraspecific taxa) from 2,310 specimens collected from June 2020 to December 2021. These taxa are within 89 families and 282 genera, and 100 (20.6%) species are not native to the Mississippi River drainage basin. Nine taxa found on Arkansas islands are tracked by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission for conservation. Five taxa found in Mississippi are tracked by the Mississippi Natural Heritage Program. We found five taxa that had not previously been reported in Arkansas (Equisetum variegatum, Achyranthes japonica var. hachijoensis, Stellaria aquatica, Potentilla paradoxa, Cyperus diandrus) and seven previously unreported in Mississippi (Euploca convolvulacea, Sisymbrium loeselii, Chaiturus marrubiastrum, Mentha canadensis, Potentilla norvegica, P. paradoxa, Physalis mollis). Additionally, we collected 266 Arkansas county records, including 132 in Phillips, 64 in Desha, and 28 in Chicot counties, respectively, and 42 in Washington County, Mississippi. The high number of new encounters and tracked species found emphasizes the need for more botanical study on Lower Mississippi River islands. Of the 485 species in the flora, we found 110 species on all six islands (22.7%), 43 on five of the six islands, 47 on four islands, 75 on three islands, 72 on two islands, and 138 on only one island (28.5%). The number of unique species found on only one island illustrates how variable and dynamic these islands are in this riparian zone.

The Moderating Role of Islamic Heritage Program in the Effect of Zoo Educational Goal on Sustainable Development

The Moderating Role of Islamic Heritage Program in the Effect of Zoo Educational Goal on Sustainable Development

가치기반 접근을 통한 세계유산 수원화성의 유산가치 보존 연구

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997 for its value as an 18th-century military fortification reflecting advanced military technology from the East and the West. However, Suwon citizens recognize Suwon Hwaseong Fortress as a fortress and a new city created by King Jeongjo. World Heritage OUV does not match the local value recognized by the region. The current World Heritage Program emphasizes multifaceted interpretations of values, as emphasizing only one Outstanding Universal Value would establish a false hierarchy in terms of conservation. Reflecting the changes in the World Heritage discourse, this study tried to review the heritage values, including the OUV and local values of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, and find ways to protect both OUV and local values together in the protection and management system. To this end, a survey was conducted among stakeholders, and the value of heritage was categorized based on the results of the survey. To conserve the heritage value derived after the survey, this study suggests the use of the World Heritage OUV statement, the ‘statement of significance’ of the value-based approach, and ‘individual statements describing the importance of each component expressing value.

A Framework for Geoconservation in Mining Landscapes: Opportunities for Geopark and GEOfood Approaches in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The continuous processes of mining development, since the very beginning of Minas Gerais State’s development, have been giving new attention and meaning to valuable pre-existing features (i.e., cultural, social, and physical-environmental), impacting and recharacterizing not only its municipalities but their essential local or native sociocultural components. At the same time, mining, as one of the central pillars of the Brazilian development model, has put different communities, natural and cultural heritage, and mineral and water resources at risk. The wide concept of geodiversity and the related geoheritage emerge as an alternative for conservation, territorial planning, and sustainable development, to reconcile these spheres. This study developed a comprehensive framework for geoconservation within selected areas of mining landscapes, contributing to insights for the creation of a catalog about geoheritage in the state of Minas Gerais, discussing and analyzing well-established strategies and opportunities based on UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) and the GEOfood brand. We concluded that the mining landscapes of Minas Gerais must be administered as a viable possibility for economic and environmental dynamic actions and activities, strengthening the maintenance of municipalities from the very beginning to after the end of operational activities. Heritage programs such as UGGp and GEOfood enable knowledge sharing and engagement with geoheritage, improving the comprehension and management of the short- and long-term impacts of mining, while elevating geodiversity as a major source of information in the “greening” of mining policies.

History and Approaches to Heritage Studies, Pedagogy and Practice in Heritage Studies

History and Approaches to Heritage Studies, Pedagogy and Practice in Heritage Studies

Time, place and theme in heritage conservation: configurations and applications

PurposeThis study examines the time, place and theme constructs from the viewpoints of their theoretical configurations and potential applications in heritage conservation. The examination taps on the relationship of time to chronology, place to geography and theme to the human agency. Time, place and theme pose challenges in delineating workable definitions and in corroborating the resolvability of the terms into real-world applications. The challenges stem from the metaphysical nature of the constructs and the conjectural interpretability of the associated connotations.Design/methodology/approachThe humanistic setting of the study supports qualitative research and information assessment methods. Information to support the theoretical objective (configurations) comes from the seminal literature on the very nature of time, place and theme and on their relationship with chronology, geography and human agency, respectively. The information to support the applied objective (applications) comes mainly from the works of the US National Park Service heritage programs, particularly the historic context strategy where the members of the triad are applied.FindingsThe theoretical knowledge about time, place and theme geared towards framing the constructs' configurations and applications in heritage conservation is lacking. Mediating time into chronology, place into geography and theme into argument provides a useful framework for understanding the constructs' configurations and applications.Originality/valueThe study adds knowledge on time, place and theme that helps delineate the configurations and applications of these constructs to the benefit of heritage conservation planning.

Changing patterns of natural dynamics in old-growth European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests can inspire forest management in Central Europe

European beech is the dominant native tree species in sub-mountain and mountain zones of the European continent and provides multiple ecosystem services to European society. However, the mountain zone is strongly affected by environmental change. Here, we explore the long-term natural dynamics of European beech-dominated old-growth forests in the Western Carpathians, Central Europe. We use fifty-year measurements of forest stand dynamics from eleven nature reserves strictly protected from any management (some of them included in the UNESCO natural heritage program). The study sites cover a typical range of natural conditions of the beech-dominated altitudinal zone in the Western Carpathians. The database includes long-term pair-wise non-destructive measurements of nearly 3.000 beeches from 1970 through 2019. We aim to investigate three crucial processes of beech forest dynamics: increment, ingrowth, and mortality of beech trees. The results, besides expected interactions, indicated a statistically significant change in radial increment and tree mortality during the study period. The radial increment increased, whereas tree mortality decreased during the past decades. Our findings indicate that European beech has strengthened the role of the most vital and competitive tree species in the elevational range from sub-mountain to mountain zone of Central European mountains during the last 50 years. The species increases the potential of enlarging its current distribution and outcompeting other species at the upper as well as lower elevational range edges. The assumed reasons for such development considering postglacial vegetation development in Europe and upcoming climate change are discussed. Possible implications and ways how to utilize the observed findings in close-to-nature forest management are suggested.