Integrity in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A comparative study for rural landscapes

Since 2005, Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is the standard by which United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) evaluates world cultural heritage site suitability. The sites worthy of UNESCO preservation as well as the parameters used to demonstrate OUV are diverse. Our study focused on the uniquely distinguished rural landscape sites and the OUV parameter of integrity. Integrity however, is an elusive concept for which UNESCO provides no definitional protocol, and for which the scientific community objects to a static or pure historical interpretation. Given this, our work aims to analyse the concept of integrity and how it can be used to preserve the heritage of rural landscapes. After reviewing the UNESCO approach, we focused on the international scientific debate on the meaning and application of integrity. We designed and conducted a comparative study of UNESCO rural landscapes selected from the 2011 World Heritage List. Documents describing the historical, rural, and agro-ecological features of each of the fourteen rural sites were analysed. From this, several historical and ecological parameters were chosen as “values to have” and several socio-economic and management parameters were chosen as “values to maintain” to assess the integrity of each landscape. Our results found integrity to be a value of both cultural and natural landscapes and that it is key to site identity. We demonstrated that UNESCO assigns a high value to the following parameters: historical features, traditional crops and local products, land-use and agricultural practice permanence, and the presence of architecture related to agricultural activity. Finally, we found the relationship between culture and nature to characterize best the integrity of a rural landscape, rather than nature or culture alone.     

Non-destructive methods for chemical, optical, colorimetric and typographic characterisation of a reprint

The quality of production (e.g. paper, typesetting, reproduction of illustrations, printing and bookbinding) of a book (reprint) is very important. The quality of a 1978 reprint of a book from 1921 was studied using standard and non-destructive testing methods such as microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Chemical, physical and colorimetric properties of the papers, colour differences of the prints and typographic tonal density were analysed. Results showed that the reprint is not an identical copy of the original. Some of the differences in the reprint compared with the original (e.g. typographic tonal density) could easily have been avoided while others (e.g. structural and optical properties of paper, colour prints) are unavoidable, mainly because of the influence of internal and external factors on ageing. Ageing influences the properties of paper and colour print: optical and colour properties deteriorate and colour fades. It is concluded that precise and systematic evaluation of the properties of an old book should be carried out before a reprint is prepared. The results of the research, using non-destructive methods such as microscopy, spectroscopy and image analysis, are useful for characterising the properties of paper and printing ink, typography and reproduction of illustrations.     

A web information system for the management and the dissemination of Cultural Heritage data

Safeguarding and exploiting Cultural Heritage induce the production of numerous and heterogeneous data. The management of these data is an essential task for the use and the diffusion of the information gathered on the field. Previously, the data handling was a hand-made task done thanks to efficient and experienced methods. Until the growth of computer science, other methods have been carried out for the digital preservation and treatment of Cultural Heritage information. The development of computerized data management systems to store and make use of archaeological datasets is then a significant task nowadays. Especially for sites that have been excavated and worked without computerized means, it is now necessary to put all the data produced onto computer. This allows preservation of the information digitally (in addition with the paper documents) and offers new exploitation possibilities, like the immediate connection of different kinds of data for analyses, or the digital documentation of the site for its improvement. Geographical Information Systems have proved their potentialities in this scope, but they are not always adapted to the management of features at the scale of a particular archaeological site. Therefore this paper aims to present the development of a Virtual Research Environment dedicated to the exploitation of intra-site Cultural Heritage data. The Information System produced is based on open-source software modules dedicated to the Internet, so users can avoid being software driven and can register and consult data from different computers. The system gives the opportunity to do exploratory analyses of the data, especially at spatial and temporal levels. The system is compliant to every kind of Cultural Heritage site and allows management of diverse types of data. Some experimentation has been done on sites managed by the Service of the National Sites and Monuments of Luxembourg.     

Art and technology: A comparative study of policy legitimation

The legitimation of technology policy is discussed from the point of view of the neoclassical and of the dynamic, Schumpeterian, approach. The results are presented, using the traditional categories of policy legitimation in welfare theory: public goods, externalities, and merit goods. Art policy legitimation is discussed within the same conceptual framework. The application of the dynamic approach to art policy leads to conclusions similar to the general conclusions about technology policy. A review of the postwar development of (Dutch) art policy supports the impression that art policy may be on its way to become a subspecies of technology policy.     

Contingent Valuation and Cultural Resources: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Literature

Contingent valuation methodology (CVM) has been increasingly applied to cultural resources. CVM employs survey methods to gather stated preference information, which can be used to estimate economic values of various cultural resources and projects. Although popular in other fields, the application of CVM in the cultural arena is relatively recent. This article summarizes this growing body of empirical literature and its range of findings. A meta-analysis gives a statistical view of the ``state of the art' of the literature. This preliminary analysis sheds light on the consistency and validity of the use of this method in cultural applications.     

Historical plasters on light thin vaults: State of conservation assessment by a Hybrid ultrasonic method

Historical plasters on light thin vaults, usually made by mats of reeds nailed to an upper wooden framework, were used in several historical and monumental Italian buildings and churches built between the 16th and the 19th century and almost all of the historical Italian theatres built between the 18th and the 19th century to cover the theatre-hall and to improve its acoustic properties. The non-destructive inspection of these structures is very important, but traditional inspection techniques are usually limited in resolution, which may be a problem for detection of defects at a very early stage. The paper presents the development and application of a high-resolution inspection technique based on a hybrid ultrasonic method, where a contact emitter probe and a non-contact air-coupled receiver probe are used. Results show the effectiveness of the method on laboratory samples and propose an inspection procedure for in-field application.     

Assessment of the compatibility of new uses for heritage buildings: The example of Alexandria National Museum,Alexandria, Egypt

This article evaluates the compatibility of the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in Egypt given that a growing number of projects featuring innovative building reuse are currently emerging nationwide. Accordingly, this research focuses on three objectives. The first objective is the evaluation of indicators drawn from literature, namely architectural integrity, public perception, form and new building function, with reference to the specific case of Alexandria National Museum. The second objective is the investigation of the sustainable adaptation of the Museum. The third objective is the assessment of the capacity of the heritage building to meet the criteria for reuse. The integration of the literature review and the case study is verified by examining research indicators. Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, including laypeople and professionals are utilised in the assessment of Alexandria National Museum adaptive reuse project. Research results show that interviewees agree that the process preserved the building's architectural integrity and that its new cultural function (i.e. as a museum) represents the optimal reuse of the building. In addition, the research highlights diversity amongst the stakeholders and the drawbacks of the sustainable adaptation indicator, including the absence of community participation.     

Multinational Going Cultural: A Postcolonial Deconstruction of Cultural Intelligence

Abstract

Cultural intelligence (CQ) has emerged as a popular construct for understanding and dealing with the problems of cross-cultural adjustment and cross-cultural communication that transnational corporations face. In this article, we critique the discursive moves through which CQ is presented as a competitively advantageous tool for global organizations, deconstruct its theorization and measurement, and discuss its role in perpetuating transnational hegemony. This article thus exposes the implicit relationship between academic knowledge production and transnational organizational practice that maximizes profits while simultaneously downplaying transnational globalization's oppressive consequences such as job vulnerability, unemployment, and exploitation.     

Consolidation of paint on stained glass windows: Comparative study and new approaches

Stained glass windows belong to the most precious pieces of art in many European countries. Examples of heavily endangered paint on glass are reported in the literature and mainly related to condensation effects and air pollution, as stained glass windows preferably remain in their original architectural surrounding. Several surface coatings and paint treatments have been proposed to consolidate and protect degraded paint. Very often, the selection of the materials is based more on practical aspects than on scientific research. This study concerns the comparison of some traditional, modern and newly developed consolidants for the preservation of historic glass paintings. Experiments have been carried out with model painted glass samples simulating weathering phenomena of originals. Traditional materials like Paraloid B72, modern ones like SZA (proposed by the Fraunhofer-Institut für Silicatforschung, ISC), and three new consolidants prepared by the sol–gel method and based on different hybrid organic–inorganic alkyl-alkoxysilane systems have been considered. The adhesion, penetration, stability, hydrophobicity, mechanical and chemical resistance are properties and requirements tested to prove their effectiveness and range of use. The three new materials developed in this study for the consolidation of paint on glass have the potential to offer alternatives to existing materials. Nevertheless, further research is necessary before their application in restoration workshops can be recommended. A strategic approach is requested to avoid risks for these valuable historical originals and to contribute to the long-term preservation of the paint on stained glass windows in their original sites.     

A discrete choice model of consumption of cultural goods: the case of music

In this article we present an empirical analysis of the ‘patterns of cultural choice’ in the musical domain in Italy. The main goal of the article is to verify whether musical tastes in Italy are diversified, with the presence of a group of ‘cultural omnivores’. Our study is based on the theoretical model of the demand for cultural goods proposed by Lévy-Garboua and Montmarquette (1996). In the empirical analysis we simultaneously evaluate the probability of choosing different musical genres. Through the specification of the set of alternatives into three groupings of musical genres —“only classical music”, “only popular music” and “all music”—we were able to detect the relative impact of several socio-economic characteristics on the probability of having “univorous” or “omnivorous” musical likings. In addition, our approach allows us to verify the existence of different patterns of music consumption by testing the significance of differences among the estimated coefficients of the probability functions related to the three groupings of musical genres. We find that age, gender and education are important predictors of an omnivorous taste.

Assessing Cultural Differences in Translations: A Semantic Network Analysis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Abstract

Intercultural communication, in many cases, is cross-lingual communication. Effective cross-lingual communication requires successful translation processes. Translation quality involves two factors, the technical and the linguistic. Focusing on the influence of language factor, this study demonstrates the application of semantic network analysis and spatial modeling to examine translation equivalence. The examined texts are seven different linguistic versions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (six official languages and Korean). The results suggest that translations are roughly equivalent but with subtle differences reflective of each language's cultural predispositions. The paper concludes by discussing the importance of translation and language issues for intercultural communication.     

数据融合视角下的遗产保护与发展:一个理论框架

当代遗产保护与发展理念正在经历从遗产本体到遗产所在地周边环境保护、从静态的保护到动态的监测管理、从遗产本体保护到其与人/社会的良性互动关系的保护发展的演变过程,为融合多源数据的分析带来了需求.数字化与大数据技术为遗产保护与发展带来新的可能性,同时也对遗产数字化保护及发展理论认知与实践引导提出了新的挑战与诉求.针对当前遗...     

Taiwan's Fifth Ethnic Group: A Study of the Acculturation and Cultural Fusion of Women who have Married into Families in Taiwan

Abstract

One of the under-studied effects of global migration has been an increase in transnational marriages. This phenomenon has greatly impacted Taiwan as women from Southeast Asian nations and Mainland China, through professional marriage brokers or personal contacts, enter into marriages with Taiwanese men. How well these women adapt to Taiwan's culture and learn its local languages is studied through the lens of two theories of intercultural communication: Kim's theory of cross-cultural adaptation and Kramer's theory of cultural fusion. Based upon in-depth interviews with 28 women, results show some support for both theories. However, the postulates of cultural fusion demonstrate a better fit: Learning is an additive process; long-term association with co-ethnics appears to correlate with greater satisfaction and adaptation; and women's negotiated identities follow a range of outcomes.     

Cultural Similarities and Differences in Seeking Social Support as a Means of Coping: A Comparison of European Americans and Chinese and an Evaluation of the Mediating Effects of Self-Construal

Abstract

Two studies examined similarities and differences in how European Americans and Chinese view seeking social support as a strategy for coping with an upset. Participants (407 European Americans and 595 Chinese) completed instruments assessing the appropriateness of seeking social support and several self-reliant coping strategies (problem-solving, emotion management, avoidance) when confronting upsets. Both studies detected cultural and sex differences in support seeking. However, there were also substantial similarities in coping responses. Americans viewed seeking support as a more appropriate coping strategy than did Chinese. However, both Americans and Chinese viewed seeking support as more appropriate than the solitary coping strategies of avoidance and emotion management. Culture moderated sex differences in support seeking; American women viewed seeking social and emotional support as more appropriate than American men, whereas few sex differences were evident among the Chinese samples. Individual differences in interdependent and independent self-construals partially mediated cultural and sex differences in support seeking in Study 2; in addition, culture moderated the mediating effects of self-construal, with self-construal mediating sex differences among Americans but not among Chinese. The cultural and sex differences in self-construals, however, did not conform to theoretical expectations. Moreover, cultural and sex differences in self-construals were quite small in magnitude.     

Comparative persuasive styles in Arabic and English: A study of the United Nations General Assembly Debate speeches

This study analyzed persuasive styles and tactics used in the United Nations General Assembly Debate speeches by Arabic and English speaking leaders. Past work has identified three persuasive styles: analogical, presentational, and quasilogical. The literature suggests that Arabs use analogical and presentational styles, while the “West” prefers the quasilogical style. Our results indicate that Arabs used the quasilogical style more often than English speakers. All speakers drew upon most of the tactics identified to strengthen their arguments. Finally, there has been a shift in the usage of some tactics for both sets of speakers over 30 years.     

The contribution of urban-scale environmental monitoring to materials diagnostics: A study on the Cathedral of Modena (Italy)

The problem of environmental monitoring aimed at identifying and evaluating the weathering mechanisms affecting historical stoneworks is here discussed and a methodology based on the use of already available, long record, urban-scale environmental data is proposed. An example of its application to the Cathedral of Modena (Italy, XII-XIV century, included in the UNESCO's World Heritage List) is then presented. In this case, the methodology allowed the identification of the main degradation causes, which found significant confirmation by material diagnostics on the available samples and finite element structural modelling. Thanks to the decay causes identification allowed by the proposed methodology, more effective restoration procedures can be outlined.     

Criticism strategies and their underlying cultural norms in online interactions: A study of native speakers of Persian and English

This study investigated cross-cultural perception of Persian and American speakers and the strategies they employed to level criticisms on Facebook. Seventeen strategies were discovered, 10 of which were used by both groups, three by Persians, and four by only Americans. Content analysis demonstrated that Persian speakers employed more indirect strategies, while Americans mainly chose direct strategies. Underlying sociocultural norms were investigated through interviews which revealed Persians preferred to save hearer's face and respect their “shakhsiat.” It was also found that Persians observe the cultural schema of “ru-dar-b?yesti” and “adab va ehteram” when criticizing, while Americans used direct assertive criticisms politely.     

Detection of diagenetic alterations by Spectroscopic Analysis on Archaeological Bones from the Necropolis of Poseidonia (Paestum): A case study

Understanding the chemical and physical alteration in archaeological bones, occurred after burial, is very interesting for researchers. In this paper, we present a study on the diagenetic alteration of human archaeological bony tissues from Paestum (South Italy), by combining complementary spectroscopic techniques, such as solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and X-ray diffraction. In particular, ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance–cross polarization-magic angle spinning (¹³C NMR CP-MAS) spectroscopy allows to identify and discriminate the adsorbed calcite, that is a diagenetic contaminant, from the structural one of apatite and ¹H NMR-MAS spectroscopy shows how the degradation of organic phase of collagen is related to the time. The NMR data are combined with crystalline index, measured by X-ray diffraction, and with the splitting factor obtained by infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the evaluation of the relative content of biogenic structural carbonate and of diagenetic fluorine is reported.