An emotional plea for Al-Ahsa: a case study on how discourses of representativeness, climate and discord are strategized in the World Heritage regime

Al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia's World Heritage nomination, defied conventional compliance mechanisms to achieve unprecedented inscription onto the World Heritage List in 2018. This study reveals how Saudi Arabia strategically leveraged discourses on representativeness, climate, and discord within the World Heritage regime to overcome a negative draft decision from ICOMOS. Through participant observation, audiovisual records, and statutory documents, the research dissects the Committee's deliberations, highlighting the erosion of science-based compliance standards in favor of diplomatic maneuvering.

Hølleland, H., & Wood, M. (2019). An emotional plea for Al-Ahsa: a case study on how discourses of representativeness, climate and discord are strategized in the World Heritage regime. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26(5), 569–583. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2019.1646734