HERITAGE + TOURISM
The Old City of Tbilisi is viewed from inside a cable car.
See: Harris-Brandts, S., & Gogishvili, D. (2020). Lofty Ideals in Aerial Connectivity: Ideology in the Urban Cable Car Network of Tbilisi, Georgia. Eurasian Geography & Economics, T. Taylor & Francis.
Heritage and Tourism
Concerns over the impacts of heritage tourism on representations of local history stem not only from the risks of essentializing and fetishizing local cultures, but from omitting minority narratives. The omission of such narratives becomes especially problematic when heritage is used to support a version of the past which is politicized. When heritage is identified for its potential as an economic resource and catalyst for urban regeneration, buildings are assigned value not in accordance with their contemporary significance to local society, but on state politico-economic terms. The overwhelming use of heritage to bolster the economy means that rather than a testament of the past, heritage is a contemporary commodity purposefully created to satisfy contemporary consumption.
Our work on heritage and tourism includes the following:
Harris-Brandts, S. (2024). Heritage Diplomacy, Neo-Ottomanism, and a Local Quest for a New Place of Worship: The Politics of Mosque Building in Batumi, Georgia. Fabrications, 34(2). Special issue: What is “shared”? Architectural Heritage in Conflict, (Guest Editors: Savia Palate and Panayiota Pyla), 1-22.
Harris-Brandts, S., Gogishvili, D., & Sichinava, D. (2024). #SpendYourSummerInGeorgia: Popular Geopolitics and Tourism Marketing in Georgia-Russian Relations, Social and Cultural Geography, 1-19.
Full list of research
PUBLICATIONS
Harris-Brandts, S. (2024). Heritage Diplomacy, Neo-Ottomanism, and a Local Quest for a New Place of Worship: The Politics of Mosque Building in Batumi, Georgia. Fabrications, 34(2). Special issue: What is “shared”? Architectural Heritage in Conflict, (Guest Editors: Savia Palate and Panayiota Pyla), 1-22.
Harris-Brandts, S., Gogishvili, D., & Sichinava, D. (2024). #SpendYourSummerInGeorgia: Popular Geopolitics and Tourism Marketing in Georgia-Russian Relations, Social and Cultural Geography, 1-19.
Harris-Brandts, S., & Sichinava, D. (2021). Architecture and friendship among nations: the shifting politics of cultural diplomacy in Tbilisi, Georgia. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 27 (12). Taylor & Francis, 1213-1229.
Harris-Brandts, S., & Sichinava, D. (2021). The Politics of Urban Recovery in a Stalinist-era Resort Town: Heritage Tourism and Displaced Communities in Tskaltubo, Georgia. In Al-Harithy, H. (Ed.), Urban Recovery: Intersecting Displacement with Post War Reconstruction. London: Routledge.
Harris-Brandts, S., & Gogishvili, D. (2020). Lofty Ideals in Aerial Connectivity: Ideology in the Urban Cable Car Network of Tbilisi, Georgia. Eurasian Geography & Economics, T. Taylor & Francis.
Harris-Brandts, S. (2020). [Book Review] Iconic Planned Communities and the Challenge of Change. Corbin Sies, M., Gournay, I, and Freestone, R. (Eds.). University of Pennsylvania Press. Journal of Historical Geography, 110-111.
Gogishvili, D. (2018). Baku formula 1 city circuit: exploring the temporary spaces of exception. Cities, 74, 169-178.
Harris-Brandts, S. (2018). The Role of Architecture in the Republic of Georgia’s European Aspirations. Nationalities Papers. 46 (6), Taylor & Francis, 1118-1135.
Harris-Brandts, S. (2017). ‘Europe Started Here’: Nation Building and Myth Production in the Republic of Georgia, Thresholds Journal. 45, MIT Press, 124-135.
Harris-Brandts, S. (2017). Georgia and the South Caucasus. In S. Piesik (Ed.), HABITAT: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Planet. London, UK: Thames & Hudson.
Harris-Brandts, S. (2016). Decentralize, Desecularize, and Deregulate! The transformation of Kutaisi, Georgia. In MONU Journal , 25 Independent Urbanism, 86-91. Bruil & van de Staaij.
PRESENTATIONS
2024 - Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) Annual International Conference Montreal & Online, 20-22 September 2023, “Shared Islamic Architectural Heritage? Conflict over Turkey’s Foreign Mosque Building and Disempowering Local Communities.” Harris-Brandts, S.
2019 - City Debates 2019: Urban Recovery @ the Intersection of Displacement and Reconstruction Beirut, Lebanon; April 2019, “The Politics of Urban Recovery in a Stalinist-era Resort Town: Heritage Tourism and Displaced Communities in Tskaltubo, Georgia.” Harris-Brandts, S., & Sichinava, D.
2019 - Urban Forum on Land Use and Urban Planning Practices in Cities of EU Associated Countries. Tbilisi, Georgia; March 2019. “Understanding Social Restructuring and Urban Renewal Strategies.” Harris-Brandts, S., & Sichinava, D.
2018 - European Architectural History Network (EAHN). Tallinn, Estonia; June 2018. “Europe’s Own Islamic Architecture: Heritage, Contestation, and Necessity.” Harris-Brandts, S. & Wheeler, A.
2017 - Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Annual Meeting: Cities, Regions and Growth Denver, CO, USA; October 2017 “The Restructuring of Urban Space for Tourism in Post-Revolutionary Batumi, Georgia.” Harris-Brandts, S.
2017 - Space, Society, Politics – The Regional Aspects of Sustainable Development. Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia; June 2017 “Tourism Development During State Building: the Case of Post-Revolutionary Batumi, Georgia.” Harris-Brandts, S.