Networked practices of intangible urban heritage: the changing public role of Dutch heritage professionals

Abstract

This study examines the changing roles of heritage professionals by focusing on the participatory practices of intangible urban heritage. Developments towards democratisation in the heritage sector led to a growing expectation that heritage professionals would work with local publics. This democratisation is manifested in (1) the use of digital media for grassroots heritage practices, (2) the broader scope of what is defined as heritage, and (3) a focus on communities in UNESCO's Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Heritage professionals are thus challenged to develop inclusive heritage practices, particularly in cities, which are characterised by a dynamic nature and cultural diversity. In this article, I analyse how urban heritage organisations and professionals have responded to these developments. Drawing on interviews and a qualitative content analysis of these organisations' policy documents, I examine the ways in which heritage professionals reconsider their public role through what I define as networked practices of intangible heritage. This concept captures the networked structure in which heritage professionals increasingly work, and also demonstrates how heritage is given meaning through public practices that take place in both the physical and virtual realms of contemporary cities.

Visiting Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism Sites: From Value Cognition to Attitude and Intention

“…Consensus around the safeguarding of ICH has led to many studies regarding its identification, protection and inheritance [1][2][3][7][8][9]. Scholars have recently integrated ICH protection with the development of digital communications in an attempt to present ICH via social media or other network practices [6,10,15]. The sustainable development of ICH tourism has also gradually captured scholars' attention [4,5].…”

“…An enduring lack of social exposure and scholarly attention to intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has resulted in losses of government and community property due to ICH destruction. However, the inclusion of cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's) Convention's Lists has recently drastically improved the survival status of ICH, and associated tourism has begun to attract researchers' interest [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Tourism development has promoted the safeguarding and development of ICH to a certain extent, with some governments beginning to turn to ICH as a steady source of income.…”

Valuing Urban Heritage Through Participatory Heritage Websites: Citizen Perceptions of Historic Urban Landscapes

“…In fact, many of the online participatory practices are actually initiated by established heritage institutions. In the networked structure of the Internet, new connections emerge between grassroots projects and established heritage organizations (Van der Hoeven, 2016). It has become easier to reuse digital content from archives and to further disseminate this through social media channels.…”

“…It has become easier to reuse digital content from archives and to further disseminate this through social media channels. Smaller initiatives might draw on the collections of established institutions, pass heritage artifacts on to them, or use their expertise on archival procedures and digital strategies (Van der Hoeven, 2016; Westberg Gabriel & Jensen, 2017). Once again, there is a risk of inadvertently reinforcing a dichotomous understanding of “experts” and “nonexperts.” Earlier studies have found that grassroots initiatives tend to be driven by a strong passion for heritage objects (Baker & Huber, 2013), whereas people working at established institutions are more constrained by organizational policies and curatorial expectations (Lewi et al, 2016; Westberg Gabriel & Jensen, 2017).…”

“…Online media are also vital tools for involving citizens in the conservation of urban heritage (Giaccardi, 2012; Van der Hoeven, 2016). Indeed, the HUL recommendation encourages “the use of information and communication technology to document, understand and present the complex layering of urban areas and their constituent components” (UNESCO, 2011, Article 27).…”