This MLA722 critical literature review assesses your ability to critically engage with scholarly literature on cultural sustainability, a key pillar of sustainable development alongside environmental, social, and economic factors.

Produce a 2000-word critical literature review on a specific topic within cultural sustainability. Select from one of the suggested topics below:

• The role of indigenous knowledge in enhancing cultural sustainability and resilience within urban environmental stewardship initiatives.

In the context of environmental stewardship in an urban area, indigenous knowledge becomes an integral part of how to build cultural sustainability and resilience, especially in cities looking for sustainable solutions to climate change and ecological degradation. Indigenous knowledge systems are rooted in long-term community and environment linkages and offer important lessons on biodiversity conservation, water and water resource management, and ecosystem restoration. Increasingly, for instance, Indigenous land stewardship in urban areas (e.g. Melbourne, Vancouver) is included in urban planning frameworks to help regenerate ecosystems and build cultural links with place (UNESCO, 2023).  These practices also ensure cultural sustainability by maintaining traditional knowledge, language and cultural values and encourage intergenerational learning. Furthermore, Indigenous governance has a holistic approach that advocates for people, land and nature, promoting inclusive and community-based environmental governance. Indigenous perspectives also contribute to urban environmental programs for resilience, as they offer adaptive strategies for addressing environmental uncertainty and climate-related risks. Thus, acknowledging Indigenous knowledge in urban stewardship strategies helps create environmentally sustainable cities and ensures the maintenance and preservation of cultural heritage, leading to more resilient, equitable, and culturally diverse cities (Whyte, 2018).

References

UNESCO. (2023). Culture and sustainable development. Paris: UNESCO.

Whyte, K. P. (2018). Indigenous science (fiction) for the Anthropocene: Ancestral dystopias and fantasies of climate change crises. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 1(1–2), 224–242.

• Cultural heritage preservation amid globalisation and urbanisation pressures.

In the era of globalisation and urbanisation, cultural heritage preservation is becoming increasingly difficult all over the world. Globalisation promotes economic and cultural integration, but also cultural homogenisation, with the erosion of local traditions, languages, and historic identities. Meanwhile, the rapid urban growth that often occurs puts heritage places at risk from redevelopment, building projects and shifting land use (Bandarin and van Oers, 2012). In historic neighbourhoods of cities like Beijing and Istanbul, urban development has put pressure on the city to alter the traditional architecture and community practices. It is therefore important to preserve cultural heritage for the maintenance of cultural diversity and the strengthening of the community identity in the city. Heritage conservation also contributes to sustainable development by improving the tourism, local economy and the social integration. The Historic Urban Landscape approach puts into practice the UNESCO principles of integrating the conservation of historic urban landscape into the wider urban planning framework instead of the conservation of the property as a standalone project. This will promote the involvement of stakeholders and balanced development while safeguarding cultural assets and economic interests. Consequently, good heritage conservation allows for cities to remain true to their distinct cultural identity while responding to today’s urban and global challenges (UNESCO, 2011).

References

Bandarin, F. and van Oers, R. (2012). The historic urban landscape: Managing heritage in an urban century. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

UNESCO. (2011). Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. Paris: UNESCO.

• Digital technologies for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in the context of sustainable urban development.

In the fast-changing and increasingly urbanised settings, digital technologies have become an important instrument for the protection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Traditional knowledge, oral history, performing arts, rituals, festivals and craftsmanship play a vital role in cultural identity and social cohesion and are intangible heritage. The value of such traditions is frequently at risk due to the rapid pace of urbanisation and demographic changes, and hence the need for digital preservation. Digital archives, virtual reality, 3D documentation, artificial intelligence and mobile applications are technologies that allow communities to document and share their culture with others. Digital heritage platforms, for instance, have been created to record the Indigenous languages and traditional performances that are threatened with extinction. In sustainable urban development, these technologies contribute to cultural continuity by bringing the cultural heritage into the contemporary urban life, and to education and community involvement. Digital tools also enable participatory heritage management, enabling communities to be creators and custodians of their heritage stories. But issues of digital inequality, cultural sensitivity and intellectual property rights must be addressed by policymakers. Digital technologies can help to preserve, access, and make visible intangible cultural heritage in today’s cities when used responsibly (UNESCO, 2024; Smith & Akagawa, 2009).

References

Smith, L., and Akagawa, N. (2009). Intangible heritage. London: Routledge.

UNESCO (2024). Culture and Digital Technologies. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Your MLA722 review must:

• Introduce the topic’s significance in sustainable development and in relation to SDG 11.
• Systematically review and critically analyse 15-20 high-quality sources (peer-reviewed journals).
• Organise content thematically.
• Identify gaps, contradictions, or future research directions.
• Conclude with implications for policy, practice, or your professional context.Avoid mere description, demonstrate criticality by evaluating source strengths, methodologies, biases, and cultural contexts. References must follow the Harvard style of referencing. Guidance on referencing, critical thinking, and essay and report writing, are available in the ‘study help’ section of the TLP.