PAPER, NOVA UNIVERSITY OF LISBON
- Pedro Pedroso. 2018. Património insólito e sem representação (Unusual heritage and without representation). In Patrimonialização e Sustentabilidade do Património: Reflexão e Prospectiva (Heritage Patrimonialisation and Sustainability: Reflection and Foresight) [e-book], Institute of Contemporary History, NOVA University Lisbon, G. Filipe, J. Vale & I. Castaño (coords.), pp. 620-626, Lisboa.
ISBN: 978-989-98388-4-0,
Patrimonialização e Sustentabilidade do Património
Abstract
The conclusions of the research, carried out by the author, revealed by his case study, over the Arab heritage exaltation in Mértola (Alentejo), which began last century, in the 70s, supports the idea of the cultural heritage assessment favorable contribution to sustain the argument of differentiation, attractiveness and authenticity of a specific place or region. However, one should consider that this contribution only adds if adequately inserted into a strategy of consolidation and enhancement of the place branding itself, otherwise the effect will be only temporary. In other words, cultural heritage is valued in order to value the place, or vice versa, if any community wants to value one place specifically, the community will try to call people’s attention for theplace’s heritage, perhaps what might distinguish their place from the others. This omnipresent dichotomy in the context of cultural heritage preservation is likely to accentuate the existence of a phenomena difficult to explain and understand in its full extent, given their deep incongruities, which result from the coexistence of three critical issues. Apparently, these issues, apart from being critical, seem to be distant; on the contrary, they are closely together, concerning the promotion of one sustainable and balanced cultural heritage enhancement, on which the author is particularly interested, namely: (i) The process of the unusual becoming part of heritage, which crystallizes into a certain uncritical and unidirectional way of thinking for individual benefit, jeopardizing collective interest; (ii) The cultural heritage as a support of a formal and real power looking for/begging for acceptance and show-off, given the weakness of its own legitimacy; (iii) The interference of globalization concerning the explanation of cultural identity through the given heritage.
