Dissonant Representations
Slums of Delhi Documentary:
Voices from Delhi Slum:
Government agencies and destination marketing organizations act as heritage baiters and are often responsible for image-building heritage expressions of a city, region, or destination (Kantarci, 2007; Waterton, 2005; Watson, 2010). The term ‘heritage baiters’ refers to people who indulge in commodifying historical narratives for the heritage industry (Samuel 1994). Heritage can be used in a more positive and meaningful manner to promote sustainable heritage tourism by making it inclusive of marginalized voices. The present-centeredness of heritage is a complex phenomenon, and since dissonance will continue to evolve in one manner or another, it needs to be managed in a strategic manner to strike a compromise between past and present heritages inclusive of different populations (Chhabra & Zhao, 2015).
Chhabra (2012) proposes a present-centered dissonant heritage management paradigm and stresses the need to identify commonalities between various ethnic groups and the mainstream population so that sustainable heritage tourism can happen. According to her, it is crucial to obtain suggestions on ways in which heritage institutions “can engage with the civic community to cultivate social inclusion practices and a shared sense of heritage, identity, and belonging” (2012, p.1702). Timothy and Boyd argue that “heritage is a community resource and thus all sectors of a community should be involved in its planning and development” (2003, p. 279).
Reading links:
- Humiliated Silence: Multiculturalism, Blame and the Trope of ‘Moving On’
- Present-Centered Dialogue with Heritage Representations
Refererences
Kantarci, K. (2007). The Image of Central Asia Countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Tourism Analysis, 12(4), 307–318.
Chhabra, D. (2012). A Present-Centered Dissonant Heritage Management Model. Annals of Tourism Research, 39, 1701–1725.
Chhabra, D. and Zhao, S. (2015). Present-Centered Dialogue with Heritage Representations. Annals of Tourism Research, 55, 94-109.
Harvey, D. (2001). 2001 Heritage Pasts and Heritage Presents: Temporality, Meaning and the Scope of Heritage Studies. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 7(4), 1–16.
Samuel, R. (1994). Past and Present in Contemporary Culture. London: Verso.
Timothy, D. and Boyd, S. (2003). Heritage Tourism. London: Prentice Hall.
Watson, S. (2010). Reading the Visual: Representation and Narrative in the Construction of Heritage. Material Culture Review, 71.
Waterton, E. (2005). Whose Sense of Place? Reconciling Archaeological Perspectives with Community Values: Cultural Landscapes in England. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 11(4), 309–325.
Acknowledgment:
Mr. Akshat Chowdhury (M.Phil. Delhi, India) for his contribution in locating appropriate videos for this module. His assistance is appreciated in, specifically, identifying the ones focusing on the marginalized populations: the slum dwellers of Delhi.
