From Local to Global Cultural Commons? A Theoretical and Empirical Assessment

Abstract

"This paper provides both a theoretical and empirical inquiry into the process of identification and selection of cultural commons. Using data on Unesco World Heritage Tentative Lists - which are inventories of properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination in the World Heritage List- we found that the number of total sites inscribed in the Tentative List by each country is positively affected by the total sites previously inscribed in the Word Heritage List and the number of mandates in the World Heritage Committee. Our results suggest that the process of site selection follows from strategic considerations and this casts some doubts on the capacity of central governments in ensuring identification and development of common heritage (rooted in a physical space and defined by the associated culture and community) on the international arena, where the real players are the nations, as official Unesco members. We conclude suggesting that the shift from a local to a global dimension is not straightforward for tangible cultural as well as natural heritage albeit endowed with outstanding universal value."