Managing a World Heritage Site – Potentials and Limitations of Transdisciplinary Approaches

Transdisciplinary approaches offer significant potential for balancing conservation and economic development in UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but their effectiveness is threatened by inherent power dynamics. A study on the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage Site highlights that while such collaborative frameworks foster mutual learning among diverse stakeholders, the benefits are often undermined by power struggles within participatory processes. The research re-examines three key challenges in transdisciplinary settings: stakeholder integration, perceptions and positions, and negotiability and implementation, demonstrating both the promise and limitations of this method for sustainable management.

Wallner-Schwab, Astrid Susanne, Schüpbach, Ursula, & Wiesmann, Urs Martin. (2024). Managing a World Heritage Site – Potentials and Limitations of Transdisciplinary Approaches. University of Bern. https://doi.org/10.7892/BORIS.36566