Unbuilding psychological ownership: heritage governance and affective dispossession in rural China

World Heritage governance, when focused on material preservation and tourist experiences, can unintentionally weaken the living relationships that give heritage its meaning. This study reveals how residents of Hongkeng Tulou Village—a UNESCO World Heritage site in Fujian, China—experience affective dispossession through six interconnected mechanisms: restricted spatial autonomy, displacement of local storytelling, formalization of rituals, access control, commercialization, and ineffective communication. While psychological ownership persists in fragmented forms, such as attachment and resistance, these mechanisms highlight the relational and cultural dimensions of dispossession beyond material or legal aspects. The research combines ethnographic fieldwork with qualitative analysis to uncover how everyday institutional arrangements erode residents' sense of belonging without formal property transfers.

Yang, B., & Zeng, H. (2026). Unbuilding psychological ownership: heritage governance and affective dispossession in rural China. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2026.2672534