title: Opportunities and Challenges of Cultural Heritage Tourism: Socio-economic politics of sustainable tourism in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

authors: Junaid, Ilham

subjects: cultural heritage tourism

abstract: The Indonesian constitution has mandated the government to improve the welfare of communities and to maintain cultural identity. Realising the importance of the mandate, different levels of government have adopted sustainability and/or sustainable development in formulating tourism policies and planning. I bring together the theories of postcolonialism and sustainability to examine the conduct of cultural heritage tourism primarily to investigate whether policies of the government have achieved sustainable principles.
  
This research was carried out in Indonesia, a country that has been utilising cultural heritage as tourism attraction. Fieldwork was done in five areas (Makassar, Gowa, Bone, North Toraja and Toraja land) in South Sulawesi that represent the cultural heritage of Bugis, Makassar and Toraja from August 2011 to January 2012. A total of 238 respondents were involved in this study with various methods including 75 interviews (individual and focus group) with government officials, tourism practitioners, local and indigenous communities, people from educational institutions and tourists as well as a questionnaire survey in which 163 respondents participated. A qualitative approach has predominantly guided this research but I also utilised quantitative method (mixed methods) to explore a social and cultural phenomenon from a critical perspective. I concerned with the importance of improving the economic prosperity of local and indigenous people as well as encouraging them to preserve cultural identity through cultural heritage tourism. 

To some extent, cultural heritage tourism provides advantages for those who work in hotels, restaurants as well as for people who work as guides and souvenir sellers. Thus, cultural heritage tourism can be an alternative to preserve cultural heritage and to improve the economic well-being of communities. But in many cases, inequitable benefits of tourism and the poor condition of cultural heritage as well as the low quality of its management indicate that sustainable principles have not been achieved. The reality in the field shows that challenges constrain the implementation of sustainability which are reflected in socio-economic conditions of the communities and political issues. This thesis addresses issues related to these challenges including cultural degradation, tensions between levels of government and the economic problem of communities.
 
This thesis offers an understanding of the importance of cultural heritage as an opportunity for sustainable tourism development. Empowering communities, strengthening regulation and its implementation, prioritising local and indigenous communities in any cultural and tourism programs, strengthening synergy and coordination among levels of government, educating and training local people and implementing political will and trustworthiness by the government are essential to achieve the goals of sustainable development. Communities should not only rely on the government as the main actor in preservation of cultural heritage and in tourism development. Rather, collaboration between stakeholders should be strengthened. Analytical exploration of economic welfare, cultural heritage preservation and issues embedded in them provides a more critical understanding about cultural tourism in particular and tourism studies in general.

text: Opportunities and Challenges of Cultural Heritage Tourism: Socio-economic politics of sustainable tourism in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia The Indonesian constitution has mandated the government to improve the welfare of communities and to maintain cultural identity. Realising the importance of the mandate, different levels of government have adopted sustainability and/or sustainable development in formulating tourism policies and planning. I bring together the theories of postcolonialism and sustainability to examine the conduct of cultural heritage tourism primarily to investigate whether policies of the government have achieved sustainable principles.
  
This research was carried out in Indonesia, a country that has been utilising cultural heritage as tourism attraction. Fieldwork was done in five areas (Makassar, Gowa, Bone, North Toraja and Toraja land) in South Sulawesi that represent the cultural heritage of Bugis, Makassar and Toraja from August 2011 to January 2012. A total of 238 respondents were involved in this study with various methods including 75 interviews (individual and focus group) with government officials, tourism practitioners, local and indigenous communities, people from educational institutions and tourists as well as a questionnaire survey in which 163 respondents participated. A qualitative approach has predominantly guided this research but I also utilised quantitative method (mixed methods) to explore a social and cultural phenomenon from a critical perspective. I concerned with the importance of improving the economic prosperity of local and indigenous people as well as encouraging them to preserve cultural identity through cultural heritage tourism. 

To some extent, cultural heritage tourism provides advantages for those who work in hotels, restaurants as well as for people who work as guides and souvenir sellers. Thus, cultural heritage tourism can be an alternative to preserve cultural heritage and to improve the economic well-being of communities. But in many cases, inequitable benefits of tourism and the poor condition of cultural heritage as well as the low quality of its management indicate that sustainable principles have not been achieved. The reality in the field shows that challenges constrain the implementation of sustainability which are reflected in socio-economic conditions of the communities and political issues. This thesis addresses issues related to these challenges including cultural degradation, tensions between levels of government and the economic problem of communities.
 
This thesis offers an understanding of the importance of cultural heritage as an opportunity for sustainable tourism development. Empowering communities, strengthening regulation and its implementation, prioritising local and indigenous communities in any cultural and tourism programs, strengthening synergy and coordination among levels of government, educating and training local people and implementing political will and trustworthiness by the government are essential to achieve the goals of sustainable development. Communities should not only rely on the government as the main actor in preservation of cultural heritage and in tourism development. Rather, collaboration between stakeholders should be strengthened. Analytical exploration of economic welfare, cultural heritage preservation and issues embedded in them provides a more critical understanding about cultural tourism in particular and tourism studies in general.

year: 2014

title: Detecting sequential structure

authors: Nevill-Manning, Craig G.

subjects: PBD

abstract: Programming by demonstration requires detection and analysis of sequential patterns in a user’s input, and the synthesis of an appropriate structural model that can be used for prediction. This paper describes SEQUITUR, a scheme for inducing a structural description of a sequence from a single example. SEQUITUR integrates several different inference techniques: identification of lexical subsequences or vocabulary elements, hierarchical structuring of such subsequences, identification of elements that have equivalent usage patterns, inference of programming constructs such as looping and branching, generalisation by unifying grammar rules, and the detection of procedural substructure., Although SEQUITUR operates with abstract sequences, a number of concrete illustrations are provided.

text: Detecting sequential structure Programming by demonstration requires detection and analysis of sequential patterns in a user’s input, and the synthesis of an appropriate structural model that can be used for prediction. This paper describes SEQUITUR, a scheme for inducing a structural description of a sequence from a single example. SEQUITUR integrates several different inference techniques: identification of lexical subsequences or vocabulary elements, hierarchical structuring of such subsequences, identification of elements that have equivalent usage patterns, inference of programming constructs such as looping and branching, generalisation by unifying grammar rules, and the detection of procedural substructure., Although SEQUITUR operates with abstract sequences, a number of concrete illustrations are provided.

year: 1995

title: Working across cultures in indigenous science education

authors: Michie, Michael George

subjects: cross-cultural

abstract: The research in this thesis considers the ability of westerners, primarily teachers, to work cross-culturally with indigenous students in four of the settler states, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. It looks particularly at identity learning as a way in which westerners enhance their understanding and attitudes to another culture. Identity learning, and culture shock as an associated process, is examined in relation to the ideas of border crossing and culture brokerage. A number of issues were raised, some through the literature, which became foci for the research. Examination of border crossing indicated that some westerners were successful as cross-cultural communicators but did not suggest why. Discussions of cultural borders gave rise to their critique as being essentialised but failed to suggest how this was to be overcome. Anthropological models did not give any characterisation to the role of culture broker, although the ethnohistory literature gave some insight. The influence of culture shock on westerners working in indigenous communities in the settler states was not particularly understood nor its relationship to identity learning explored. A qualitative methodology is used involving a series of interviews with eight participants who were considered to be experienced in cross-cultural communication with a background in education. From the interviews a series of narratives were written which revealed their experiences and understandings particularly about their border crossings, culture brokerage and opinions regarding teaching indigenous students and teaching them science. These narratives became the major source of data for analysis. This research shows that many westerners who are successful working in cross-cultural settings value the culture of their indigenous hosts. This is the consequence of enhanced identity learning and can be the result of culture shock. Not all westerners learn to value the other culture and may either leave the community or stay for some other reason. Border crossers are able to think beyond the limitations of an essentialised ‘we and they’ dichotomy and locate themselves in other ways relative to the border. Culture brokerage is a strategy that individuals choose to use, sometimes on the behalf of a government or institution. The characteristics of an effective culture broker are those of a border crosser and this establishes a nexus between border crossing and culture brokerage. Suggestions regarding preparation to teach in indigenous communities reflect the enhancement of identity learning and promotion of border crossing. Preservice training should include experience practicum teaching with indigenous students. Effective teaching of indigenous students could be supported by hiring experienced teachers and extending their stays. All teachers who go to work in indigenous communities need to be aware of culture shock and its possible impact and mechanisms for minimising its impact need to be established through mentoring programs. The context of the students needs to be taken into account by consideration of their culture and appropriate interpretation of the curriculum and implementation of teaching strategies. Teachers need to acknowledge that they are in positions of power but need to negotiate that respectfully with their indigenous students. As teachers of science they need to have a more inclusive idea of the nature of science so they can facilitate the border crossings of their indigenous students.

text: Working across cultures in indigenous science education The research in this thesis considers the ability of westerners, primarily teachers, to work cross-culturally with indigenous students in four of the settler states, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. It looks particularly at identity learning as a way in which westerners enhance their understanding and attitudes to another culture. Identity learning, and culture shock as an associated process, is examined in relation to the ideas of border crossing and culture brokerage. A number of issues were raised, some through the literature, which became foci for the research. Examination of border crossing indicated that some westerners were successful as cross-cultural communicators but did not suggest why. Discussions of cultural borders gave rise to their critique as being essentialised but failed to suggest how this was to be overcome. Anthropological models did not give any characterisation to the role of culture broker, although the ethnohistory literature gave some insight. The influence of culture shock on westerners working in indigenous communities in the settler states was not particularly understood nor its relationship to identity learning explored. A qualitative methodology is used involving a series of interviews with eight participants who were considered to be experienced in cross-cultural communication with a background in education. From the interviews a series of narratives were written which revealed their experiences and understandings particularly about their border crossings, culture brokerage and opinions regarding teaching indigenous students and teaching them science. These narratives became the major source of data for analysis. This research shows that many westerners who are successful working in cross-cultural settings value the culture of their indigenous hosts. This is the consequence of enhanced identity learning and can be the result of culture shock. Not all westerners learn to value the other culture and may either leave the community or stay for some other reason. Border crossers are able to think beyond the limitations of an essentialised ‘we and they’ dichotomy and locate themselves in other ways relative to the border. Culture brokerage is a strategy that individuals choose to use, sometimes on the behalf of a government or institution. The characteristics of an effective culture broker are those of a border crosser and this establishes a nexus between border crossing and culture brokerage. Suggestions regarding preparation to teach in indigenous communities reflect the enhancement of identity learning and promotion of border crossing. Preservice training should include experience practicum teaching with indigenous students. Effective teaching of indigenous students could be supported by hiring experienced teachers and extending their stays. All teachers who go to work in indigenous communities need to be aware of culture shock and its possible impact and mechanisms for minimising its impact need to be established through mentoring programs. The context of the students needs to be taken into account by consideration of their culture and appropriate interpretation of the curriculum and implementation of teaching strategies. Teachers need to acknowledge that they are in positions of power but need to negotiate that respectfully with their indigenous students. As teachers of science they need to have a more inclusive idea of the nature of science so they can facilitate the border crossings of their indigenous students.

year: 2011