Exploring the links between memories, heritage and sense of place amongst older adults using visual and creative methods
Supervisors: Dr Craig Kennedy, Dr Ryan Woolrych To many, heritage stands as an unchanging symbol of the past. Historic sites and places give people a sense of continuity and identity, linking themselves to the past with the knowledge that these places will still exist for future generations. The public may view conservation as an effort to preserve the current condition and appearance of historic places. Across the UK heritage is a massive industry, employing thousands of people and raising billions of pounds for the British economy. Heritage managers must balance the philosophical desire to preserve sites with pressure to change the sites, either to boost income through improving the tourist experience or from evolving regulations that require changes to the sites such as improving access to the sites for disabled people. Conservation is described as the "management of change" by professionals, reflecting the fact that historic sites are not static or unchanging. Further, efforts can be made to enhance the historic appeal of a place to increase interest and visitor numbers, for instance by promoting a new museum or restoring a site. Such changes to historic places can improve the visitor experience, but the impact of changing the existing place on local people has not been fully understood. Historic sites affect more than tourists who undertake a scheduled visitor experience. The local historic site plays a part in developing the sense of place and wellbeing for people living in close proximity re: shared memories, experiences in relation to place and the psycho-social attachment to places. Older adults may well recall how the heritage site has evolved and changed over the course of their lifetimes, giving a keen insight in to how changes implemented by heritage managers has affected their local area and their own sense of place and wellbeing. Importantly, heritage is grounded in aspects of memories which are rarely integrated into the design and development of places in a participatory way. Older adults find comfort in revisiting places that have played a significant aspect of their lives. Historic sites are a natural example of a place where adults can be taken that can evoke memories from the past i.e. a sense of place. However, if the site itself has undergone a significant change in appearance or function then the ability of the site to act as a place of comfort may be challenged. Here, we aim to explore the relationship between changing historic sites and landscapes and older people. In particular the impact that historic sites have on older adults will be better understood, considering the extent to which sites act as a touchstone for many people who may not necessarily play a significant part in the decision making process of heritage design and development. The research aims to utilise creative and innovative methods including oral histories, walkalong interviews and photo diaries to explore the links between sense of place, history and heritage. This impact will be considered alongside competing factors in the management of historic sites such as technical requirements of sites, professional expertise, financial pressures and corporate guidance, to determine how best to incorporate older adults in to future planned conservation or restoration works. To apply, or for more information, visit this web page: https://www.hw.ac.uk/schools/energy-geoscience-infrastructure-society/postgraduate-research/exploring-the-links-between-memories-heritage-and-sense-of.htm ________________________________ Heriot-Watt University is The Times & The Sunday Times International University of the Year 2018 Founded in 1821, Heriot-Watt is a leader in ideas and solutions. 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