Heritage and social infrastructure

Despite the increasing recognition of heritage’s role in various aspects of sustainable development and societal well-being, there is a notable gap in understanding heritage as social infrastructure. This chapter addresses this lapse by delving into the role of heritage as social infrastructure, particularly in urban contexts, and examining the infrastructure for heritage management and protection. The first half of the chapter interrogates the concept of heritage and explores the influential global organizations shaping standards for its management, laying the groundwork for understanding its ties to social infrastructure. By exploring the nuanced role of heritage in the broader sustainability agenda, the second part of the chapter scrutinizes economic, social, and environmental dimensions problematizing the realization of heritage as social infrastructure. The text concludes by advocating for context-specific approaches, community engagement, and an integrated perspective on heritage to maximize its potential as social infrastructure.