Tourism and Culture in the Age of Innovation

Abstract

The link between cultural heritage and sustainable development is one of major importance and carries a multitude of meanings and implications for both parties. Cultural heritage is all-the-more inherently related if not embedded within the process of development. Both concepts are evolving within a social context, and can be characterized by dynamism, complexity and multiplicity in terms of values, definitions, dimensions, functions and scales. What is the actual relationship between them and how these can be drawn together in a common methodological framework, given the lack of comprehensive and systematic interdisciplinary knowledge linking the two so far independent notions? This paper aims to provide the theoretical rationale for upgrading and integrating their conceptual base by means of an interpretive synthesis. The latter builds upon identified common principles, goals, and new perspectives from relevant interdisciplinary fields. The paper argues that disciplinary interactions and interdisciplinary approaches are fundamental in building the essential discipline-transcending terminologies, shared methodological grounds, and common analytical framework. The conceptual integration of cultural heritage and sustainable development is expected to equally support theory-building and enhance the practical value of the existing fragmentary research for advancing the science of sustainability in both fields.