Heritage & Tourism
Welcome
Welcome to Heritage and Tourism at the University of the Highlands and Islands Institute for Northern Studies. Our dedicated team is composed of scholars and creative professionals who specialise in the vibrant and expanding heritage and tourism sector in Scotland, a field that plays a crucial role in our culture and economy.
As the heritage and tourism sector continues to grow at a rapid pace, we understand the importance of equipping our students with the relevant skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in this dynamic environment. To achieve this, the Institute for Northern Studies (INS) is committed to continually enhancing and diversifying its portfolio of courses that cater to various roles within this sector.
We offer an innovative BA (Hons) degree program that studies topics including Scotland: the brand, Scotland’s music, tradition, custom and belief and in years 3 & 4, Scotland in film and perceptions of heritage and Gaelic literature. In addition to the degree program, we also provide four Access and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs designed to meet the needs of individuals looking to build their expertise or transition into this field.
By choosing to study with us, you will benefit from a blend of academic innovation and practical experience, preparing you for a rewarding career in one of Scotland’s most promising sectors.
Our offerings include a BA (Hons) degree program, along with four Access and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs:
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)
The phrase “ICH” is used to describe living heritage. It is usually divided into 5 domains:
- Oral Traditions and Expressions
- Performing Arts
- Social Practices, Rituals, and Festive Events
- Knowledge and Practices Concerning Nature and the Universe
- Traditional Craftsmanship
Professor Nic Craith and Professor Kockel focus on heritage as an active, living mechanism for identity and social change. Their research covers all five domains. The have extensively critiqued the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although their primary focus is on living heritage, they argue against a “tangible-intangible” divide, favouring a holistic view of heritage instead. They are very interested in the everyday living traditions of ordinary people reflected in oral histories, performances and rituals through which communities build a sense of belonging. For further details see Nic Craith’s TEDx talk on ICH. Both have recently been invited to the editorial board of the new journal Crafts, with Kockel appointed as an Editor-in-Chief. They have jointly supervised collaborative PhD-projects with the National Library of Scotland and Historical Environment Scotland, ranging from traditional music to dry stone walling and thatching.
Heritage and Sustainability
Professor Kockel has long advocated the utilisation of heritage/culture as resources for sustainable development. He is on the steering committee of Learning for Sustainability Scotland. In this capacity, he developed the Heritage Task Group with a research programme on the co-curating of heritage in vulnerable ecological environments, which led to the creation of the virtual museum New Connections Across the Northern Isles in collaboration with the Intercultural Research Centre at Heriot-Watt University. In their new co-edited volume, Creative Perspectives on Sustainable Nature-Culture Relationships: Beyond the Anthropocene, Kockel and Nic Craith argue for unified, ‘ecosophical’ approach where human traditions, folklore, and cultural practices are viewed as pathways to transforming our relationship with the environment.
Museums and Heritage
Professor Kockel and Professor Nic Craith have done extensive research on museums, from the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra and the Ulster-American Folk Park near Omagh in Northern Ireland to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, Poland and the Vilnius City Museum in Lithuania. They were both collaborators in the CoHERE (Critical Heritages: performing and representing identities in Europe) consortium, funded by a €2.5 million grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, developing resources for the critical analysis of heritage, including the interrogation of museum displays.
