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Short abstract

Drawing on ethnography in the Outer Hebrides, this paper examines ‘authenticity’ is embedded in conservation, language revitalization, and tourism to cultivate empathy and motivate action. It shows ‘authenticity’ mobilized by locals to foster commitment to Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage.

Long abstract

Tensions over land-use and ownership in the Scottish Highlands and Islands has existed for centuries, even before the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork on the Isle of Lewis, this paper examines how land-use contestations and discourses are manifested today. The Outer Hebrides is often seen as an “untouched” and isolated landscape. Thus, the values associated with a wilderness landscape as a “priceless treasure” (Li 2008, 124) is ideal for both conservation projects and for tourists to visit when they want to connect with nature, and possibly their Scottish heritage. Furthermore, in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, the restructuring of industrial production to consumption through ecotourism has shaped the economic landscape of the region (Robbins and Fraser 2003). Therefore, this paper argues that notions of collective heritage are still relevant in land-use discourses, however today, they primarily concern conservation and tourism. To investigate the significance of “authenticity” land-use discourses, this paper will interrogate: How are notions of intangible heritage connected to land-use in the region historically? How might notions of “authenticity” shape land-use opinions and decisions? How does this contribute to the creation of tourist spaces where “authenticity” is ultimately commodified?