Discovering Towneley Park : a digital and multimethod approach to understanding the effects of a digital heritage interpretation of a Lancashire park
Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Focusing on Towneley Park in Lancashire, this research explores the intersection of outdoor \npark heritage and digital heritage interpretation. The project aimed to forefront the opinions \nof local park users through interviews, field visits and the co-production of a digital heritage \nobject: Digital Towneley. \nThe project contains four main aspects: (i) exploring the heritage meanings in a park space, \n(ii) applying a multimethods approach involving co-production, phenomenology and \nreflexivity, (iii) exploring the impact of a co-produced digital heritage object, and (iv) \ninvestigating how digital heritage is affected by socio-cultural discourses around digital \nmedia. \nThe thesis explores traditional ideas of heritage as generally informed by historical discourse \n(Samuel 2012) as well as everyday heritage meanings. These alternative perspectives, \nidentified by Smith (2006) as Authorised versus non-Authorised Heritage Discourses, are \nseen throughout the participants’ creation and communication of park heritage. The thesis \nputs forward the case that Authorised Heritage Discourses may be colonised by the lived \nexperiences of the park users, thereby reinforcing the notion of agency in the heritage visitor. \nIn adopting a phenomenological approach, this research engages with the importance of \nspace and place as factors in the creation of park heritage meanings. Through theories \nincluding Foucault’s heterotopia (1986) and Deleuze & Guattari’s rhizome (2013), this thesis \nworks towards an understanding of park heritage as a trans-temporal and trans-spatial \nnetwork constructed by people. In addition, the thesis explores the role of the physical \nenvironment as part of our cognitive and meaning-making processes. \nThe impact of digital heritage is explored in this project. Firstly, the effectiveness of Digital \nTowneley is discussed. This reveals the shortcomings of digital media in terms of embodied \nexperience of place, but also demonstrates the potential of digital heritage to constitute \nauthentic everyday heritage narratives around memory and legacy. Secondly, the thesis \nevaluates the role of digital heritage production as a means of challenging power structures \nat heritage sites.
Author: Alex McDonagh
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology (arts and humanities)
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2981660435