Local and regional heritage and identities

Knowledge of the past gives every region/community sharing a common historical fate the possibility of establishing its place in an increasingly globalised world, as well as disclosing its specific nature to an audience interested in their deepest roots. Empiric evidence supports the notion of premodernity transforming into postmodernity and that a sustainable future will be structured around an ecology of knowledge (Boaventura de Sousa Santos). Thus, it can be claimed that revisiting the past helps understand today’s regional imbalances and asymmetries, contributing to overcoming these issues toward a socially and economically sustainable future, grounded on local resources, including tourism potential. These premises provide a foundation for the research group to work towards the following: to acquire knowledge on tangible and intangible heritage assets, both natural and man-made, in support of sustainable development projects; to research traditional knowledge and popular culture; to analyse population dynamics against the historical backdrop; to identify the factors favourable or detrimental to development, and ways to overcome them; to place historical knowledge at the service of the community. 

Coordination: Margarida Sobral Neto | mneto@fl.uc.pt