Inclusive management: accommodating site complexity and pluralities in local values in the Rjukan-Notodden Industrial World Heritage Site, Norway

Close collaboration between heritage researchers and practitioners enhances the management of World Heritage Sites by providing valuable inputs for informed decision-making. A study focusing on the Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site in Norway demonstrated that such cooperation, particularly through initiatives like the Heritage Place Lab (HPL) pilot programme, can improve understanding of local value diversities and address site complexity. This collaboration requires overlapping and reflexive comprehension of key concepts, achieved through structured, time-managed processes involving social scientists and site managers. The findings highlight the potential for aligning research interests with management challenges, offering broader implications for effective heritage management worldwide.

Johannessen, S. F., Strogan, J., Mikalsen, V. K., Birkeland, I., & Kennedy, A. (2023). Inclusive management: accommodating site complexity and pluralities in local values in the Rjukan-Notodden Industrial World Heritage Site, Norway. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 13(3), 517–533. https://doi.org/10.1108/jchmsd-09-2022-0165