Paper Short Abstract:

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork on the Isle of Lewis, this paper examines how ‘authenticity’ is embedded in environmental conservation, language revitalization, and tourism planning to cultivate empathy and motivate action. It shows ‘authenticity’ mobilized by local conservationists and neoliberal policies to foster commitment to Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage.

Paper Abstract:

How is authenticity cultivated to foster empathy in conservation work? Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork on the Isle of Lewis, this paper examines place-making and the materiality of place to contextualize and explore the role of authenticity in the creation and mediation of tangible and intangible heritage sites and memories in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. 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 tourists to visit when they want to connect with nature and 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). To investigate the significance of authenticity in natural and cultural heritage conservation, as well as for tourism purposes, this paper will interrogate: How is intangible heritage conceived of in heritage spaces and regional memories? What are the material dimensions of such heritage spaces? What role does authenticity play in the materiality of environmental and cultural heritage? How does this contribute to the creation of tourist spaces where authenticity is commodified? Finally, is it possible for to foster engagement with tourism that is special, meaningful, and worthwhile?