Heritage and participatory governance: an analysis of political instrumentalisation and social fractures in Spain

In the heritage field, institutions tend to see social participation as a synonym for good

governance practice. This extends to other areas such as the environment,

humanitarian aid, and sustainable development. In this paper we analyze the role of

participatory techniques in the management and governance of three heritage sites in Spain: a natural protected area in Almería, the Mosque-Cathedral in Córdoba, and the prehistoric paintings in Altamira. We argue that, despite the promises of more

democratic heritage governance, the implementation of participatory techniques is

commonly restricted by social fractures that are concomitant to certain 'heritage

regimes'. We suggest that the critical study of participation should go beyond the

dichotomy between 'good and bad' participation and focus on understanding what

participation does to the entire heritagisation process.

Participación. Patrimonio.