This book explores and substantiates the role of cultural heritage as an engine for local socio-economic development. Starting from the assumption that cultural heritage represents a valuable, unique and irreplaceable resource for European regions, it identifies and quantitatively analyzes tourism and territorial identity as two different channels through which cultural heritage can influence local socio-economic development. The book highlights the fact that cultural heritage not only has a positive influence on local cultures, societies and environments, but also plays a role in the process of local economic growth. Providing comprehensive empirical evidence that explains and discusses whether and how the endowment of cultural heritage benefits local socio-economic growth, it will appeal to scholars and students of cultural economics and regional science, and anyone interested in sustainable socio-economic development.

This book provides insight into the topic of place and territorial identity, which involves both the dimension of collective belonging and the politics of territorial planning and enhancement. It considers the social, economic and political effects of territorial identity representations among others in terms of mystification, spatial fetishism, and the creation of place and territorial stereotypes. A mixed methodology is employed to research case studies at diverse territorial scales which are relevant to the impact of a variety of factors on place/territorial identity processes such as migration, political and economic changes, natural disasters, land use changes, etc. Visual imagery, constructing visual discourses and living within visual cultures are placed in the foreground and refer to among others the changes and challenges introduced by the Internet and social networks in place/territory representations and self-representations; identity politics and its impact on place/territorial identity representations; discourses in shaping representations and self-representations of territorial/place-based identities related to collective memory, cultural heritage, invented tradition, imagined communities and other key notions.

Essays looking at heritage practices and the construction of the past, along with how they can be used to build a national identity. The preservation of architectural monuments has played a key role in the formation of national identities from the nineteenth century to the present. The task of maintaining the collective memories and ideas of a shared heritage often focused on the historic built environment as the most visible sign of a link with the past. The meaning of such monuments and sites has, however, often been the subject of keen dispute: whose heritage is being commemorated, by whom and for whom? The answers to such questions are not always straightforward, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, the recent history of which has been characterized by territorial disputes, the large-scale movement of peoples, and cultural dispossession. This volume considers the dilemmas presented by the recent and complex histories of European states such as Germany, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Examining the effect ofthe destruction of buildings by war, the loss of territories, or the "unwanted" built heritage of the Communist and Nazi regimes, the contributors examine how architectural and urban sites have been created, destroyed, or transformed, in the attempt to make visible a national heritage. Matthew Rampley is Professor of History of Art at the University of Birmingham. Contributors: Matthew Rampley, Juliet Kinchin, Paul Stirton, SusanneJaeger, Arnold Bartetzky, Jacek Friedrich, Tania Vladova, George Karatzas, Riitta Oittinen

Cultural heritage is perceived as the glue that keeps individuals together and makes them feel a part of something larger. It is the past that allows individuals to understand their present and move towards the future. In networked society, it is impossible to think about cultural heritage and its preservation and maintenance without including the digital processes and ICT systems, as well as its impact on territorial innovation. The Handbook of Research on Cultural Heritage and Its Impact on Territory Innovation and Development is a critical and comprehensive reference book that analyzes how preservation and sustainability of cultural heritage occurs in countries, as well as how it contributes to territorial innovation. Moreover, the book examines how technological tools contribute to its preservation and sustainability, as well as its dissemination. Highlighting topics that include public policies, spatial development, and architectural heritage, this book is ideal for cultural heritage professionals, government officials, policymakers, academicians, researchers, and students.

Examining international case studies including USA, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, this book identifies and explores the use of heritage throughout the world. Challenging the idea that heritage value is self-evident, and that things must be preserved, it demonstrates how it gives tangibility to the values that underpin different communities.

Cultural competence in education promotes civic engagement among students. Providing students with educational opportunities to understand various cultural and political perspectives allows for higher cultural competence and a greater understanding of civic engagement for those students. The Handbook of Research on Citizenship and Heritage Education is a critical scholarly book that provides relevant and current research on citizenship and heritage education aimed at promoting active participation and the transformation of society. Readers will come to understand the role of heritage as a symbolic identity source that facilitates the understanding of the present and the past, highlighting the value of teaching. Additionally, it offers a source for the design of didactic proposals that promote active participation and the critical conservation of heritage. Featuring a range of topics such as educational policy, curriculum design, and political science, this book is ideal for educators, academicians, administrators, political scientists, policymakers, researchers, and students.

Heritage represents the meanings and representations conveyed in the present day upon artifacts, landscapes, mythologies, memories and traditions from the past. It is a key element in the shaping of identities, particularly in the context of increasingly multicultural societies. This Research Companion brings together an international team of authors to discuss the concepts, ideas and practices that inform the entwining of heritage and identity. They have assembled a wide geographical range of examples and interpret them through a number of disciplinary lenses that include geography, history, museum and heritage studies, archaeology, art history, history, anthropology and media studies. This outstanding companion offers scholars and graduate students a thoroughly up-to-date guide to current thinking and a comprehensive reference to this growing field.