Browsing by Author "Ana Belén Malo Méndez"

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    Otras miradas del patrimonio: turismo reflexivo para la memoria colectiva e identidad cultural de la ciudad de Cuenca - Ecuador
    (Instituto Tecnológico Superior Sudamericano, 2025) Ana Belén Malo Méndez
    The present project, titled “Other Perspectives on Heritage: Reflexive Tourism for the Collective Memory and Cultural Identity of the City of Cuenca – Ecuador”, questions traditional interpretations of heritage and proposes alternative narratives that allow for a more comprehensive understanding of collective memory and cultural identity. Cuenca, recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity site, has developed tourism focused primarily on its most renowned architectural and religious manifestations. However, this approach has omitted cultural elements that reflect social changes, conflicts, and historical controversies, leaving out fundamental aspects of its heritage diversity. To address this issue, the first objective of the project is to analyze the concepts and theories associated with the traditional vision of heritage. This review will help understand how historical interpretations have shaped global tourism discourse, prioritizing certain landmarks while marginalizing others, despite their relevance in shaping cultural identity. Secondly, the project aims to examine the perspectives with which some heritage landmarks in Cuenca have been described. The city has been the scene of cultural superimpositions, from the Cañari and Inca civilizations to European colonial influence, generating a complex heritage. However, some official narratives have excluded sites and monuments linked to social transformations, political divergences, and cultural changes, creating gaps in the comprehensive understanding of heritage. Finally, this study seeks to propose strategies to rethink the city's tourism and cultural narratives, promoting more updated and critical approaches that not only exalt architectural monumentality but also highlight marginalized aspects. Through reflexive tourism, this research aims to reconstruct more inclusive narratives that strengthen Cuenca's collective memory and cultural identity.