Cultural consumption and citizen engagement—strategies for built heritage conservation and sustainable development. A case study of Indore City, India

Abstract

Cultural heritage is an invaluable asset of any city, region, or community and is an important component in the sustainable development of societies and economies. However, the role of cultural heritage has been understudied in terms of its social embeddedness and impact on social cohesion. This has led to a demand for more insights on how cultural heritage is conserved globally and more significantly via the role of societal stakeholders. Inclusive strategies allow diverse sections of a community to engage and enrich not only the anthropological interpretations of society but also support social stability and foster positive social change. This paper exemplifies how an inclusive approach was used to engage citizen engagement for the sustainable development of the built heritage in the city of Indore in central India. Best practices are presented through secondary data through various print and online sources relevant to the context. Open coding of secondary data has helped to identify strategic approaches and relationships that emerge as crucial to citizen engagement as presented in this study. The paper discusses strategies that, based on diversity and inclusivity, contribute to the enrichment of community knowledge, increased synergistic participation, and the enhancement of the sense of collective responsibility in cultural consumption.