Life in a World Heritage City : A case study of discussions and contested values in Angra do Heroísmo, the Azores

Abstract: The objectives of this study are to critically map and analyse past and current  discussions, negotiations and social processes that take place and relate to conditions created by living in- or monitoring the World Heritage City Angra do Heroísmo in the Azores, Portugal. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and qualitative interviews with the stakeholders in the city, the purpose has been to study how, and with what result and consequences, contested values, interests, rhetoric and powers are mobilized and made into dynamic forces for these stakeholders. Hence, this thesis gives a chronological presentation of selected issues and discussions, which have been taking place in the city from 1980 to 2012. The first subjects attended to are the 1980 earthquake and the nomination process which led to the inscription of Angra to the World Heritage List in 1983.However, some of the core objectives relate to the implications of living in a World Heritage City, given the preservation provisions which follow such a classified area. The aim has further been to assess the point of departure for the official monitors and their views on monitoring a vibrant historical area. The discussions analysed relate to the predicaments occurring when modern development is set up against preservation. However, the analyses show how policies and preservation ideals change, as well as how powers and authorities are challenged and affected by forces within and outside the “authorized heritage discourse”. Finally, this study has assessed the notions of pride, local attachment and identity among the inhabitants in Angra. The World Heritage Status can trigger a double sense of feelings; on the one side it holds emotions related to pride and recognition, on the other it represents obstacles for living- and developing the city in accordance with the present needs.World Heritage and tourism are closely linked, and this investigation explores how the stakeholders in Angra relate to the possibilities and threats which tourism holds. Angra represents a site where there is a limited influx of tourist, and we can see how most stakeholders speak for a quality-based tourism. In this respect, one could say there is a prevailing consensus among the stakeholders. Finally, this study has assessed the notions of pride, local attachment and identity among the inhabitants in Angra. These sensations are related to the historical cityscape, an environment which also frames personal experiences and processes. The World Heritage Status can trigger a double sense of feelings; on the one side it holds emotions related to pride and recognition, on the other it represents obstacles for living- and developing the city in accordance with the present needs. Angra do Heroísmo is studied for its particularities, yet comparisons made with other studies reveal that the matters and aspects addressed in this thesis can be universal rather than particular.