Cultural Heritage on the Urban Peripheries

Book excerpt: This innovative and insightful book critically explores how to recognize and generate the social, cultural, political and economic values of the heritage of urban peripheries and encourage new metropolitan development scenarios that protect and build upon that cultural heritage. Expert-led and richly illustrated throughout, the text addresses issues such as the management and development of the cultural heritage of urban peripheries, community involvement, the relationship of youth with cultural heritage, the heritage of ethnic communities and their cultural identity, tourism development supported by heritage resources and the art-heritage relationship at urban peripheries. It looks at the whole spectrum of heritage of the metropolitan peripheries including architectural heritage (industrial areas, factories and warehouses); transport infrastructure (canals and railways); social housing, and contemporary residential architecture. It also comprises the rich intangible heritages of working-class and/or migrant communities, in process of constant change and reconfiguration through protest, negotiation and cultural expression. This significant volume reveals the heterogeneity of the existing cultural heritage in the urban peripheries, the complexity of the processes of recognition and social appropriation of these assets as well as their need for protection. This is a pivotal resource for students, scholars and academics of urban studies, tourism studies and cultural studies, as well as those with an interest in these topics more generally.