title: Stakeholder engagement in the planning and management of contested heritage- A case study of Dongguan Street in Dalian, China
Creators: name: Liu, Yang
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: contested heritage
subject: diversity
subject: complexity
subject: tourism
subject: urbanization
subject: Dalian
subject: colony
subject: planning
subject: urbanisation

description: The concept of heritage, either materially based or as intangible cultural practices, has been evolving owing to people’s changing ideologies toward heritage. This evolution is reflected in the shifting focus of heritage literature along three interrelated axes: from monuments to people, from objects to their functions, and from preservation to sustainable use and development. With its wide range of stakeholders, different uses, and the need to balance preservation and change, heritage has become a field of contestation. In China, heritage contestation is becoming increasingly salient given the galloping urbanisation and the distinctive political and social environment. To address contested heritage, the process of heritage planning and management has seen an increasing demand for stakeholder engagement. However, this engagement faces multiple challenges, such as power relationships and resource allocation. Also less clear is the way in which various stakeholders can be engaged. In light of these challenges, this study investigates stakeholder engagement in planning and management of contested heritage. To foster effective engagement of stakeholders to resolve heritage contestation, this research employs a multiple stakeholder perspective and investigates all stakeholders of contested heritage. Adopting a qualitative approach, this study first identifies stakeholders’ conflicts concerning contested heritage, then characterizes stakeholders and their network in the planning and management of contested heritage, and finally examines the factors that influence stakeholder engagement in contested heritage planning and management. The research findings are used to build a framework that could serve as a basis for developing an effective system to manage stakeholder engagement in contested heritage development. This thesis comprises three full papers: a systematic literature review paper, a case study paper, and a qualitative paper based on stakeholder analysis. The results of the literature review show that contested heritage, marked by diversity and complexity, has become a global issue for both tourism and urbanisation. The results highlight the importance of studies that generalize the issue of contested heritage and the need to shift the focus of this issue from heritage itself to its multiple stakeholders. To deeply investigate contested heritage and its multiple stakeholders, the case of Dongguan Street in Dalian, China is critically reviewed. The analysis indicates that, given its potential as a resource in social and economic regeneration, contested heritage is subject to a revalorisation in the fast urbanisation process. Credence should be given to diverse voices to gain different perspectives on heritage development. Drawing on the case study, this thesis explores stakeholder engagement in the planning and management of contested heritage. The findings show that conflicts within urban heritage arise owing to the diverse perceptions, interests, and expectations of stakeholders. Power disparity, lack of communication, and lack of engagement mechanisms impede the engagement of stakeholders. Consensus on the potential benefits of heritage, the presence of social media, and the emergence of innovative engagement platforms provide opportunities for stakeholder engagement. These challenges and opportunities suggest policies and practices to mitigate stakeholder conflicts and aid in the collaborative planning of contested urban heritage. To better engage stakeholders in the heritage planning and management process, this thesis identifies three dimensions that stakeholder engagement management needs to consider and proposes developing a monitoring system to facilitate stakeholder engagement in heritage planning and management. The key elements constituting the monitoring system could form a basis to develop an effective management system for stakeholder engagement in heritage governance. This thesis follows an “inclusion of papers within the thesis” format, and comprises a compilation of four interconnected peer-reviewed journal articles. Collectively, this set of manuscripts achieves the overall aim of the thesis. Theoretically, this thesis offers a more integrative perspective on contested heritage through the integration of several theories. It contributes to collaborative planning by focusing on the context of urban heritage planning and makes further contributions to stakeholder management. Practically, this thesis provides implications for contested heritage management, collaborative planning of urban heritage especially in terms of conflict mitigation, and management of stakeholder engagement.