Publication Type
Conference Proceeding Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
12-2025
Abstract
Digital technologies are shaping many aspects of cultural heritage, but very little research has examined the implications of digital transformation. Drawing on concepts from Fairclough’s three-dimensional critical discourse analysis, this research examines the discourse using seven online dialogues (available on the UNESCO website) between 18 professionals who have different backgrounds and cultures to identify social practices related to the digital transformation of cultural heritage. We identify four digital transformation discourse types in professional dialogues: documentation, management, interpretation, and interaction. We also identify seven main groups: memory institutions including libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs), governments, international organizations, art and creative supporters, technological supporters, communities, and users and visitors. From a critical discourse analysis, we identify both positive and negative effects of the digital transformation. The negative effects include the adverse consequences of long-term preservation, shifts in culture-technology relationships, and perceived “big” institutional power. Professionals’ suggestions for empowering marginalized group members include encouraging research on digital accessibility and differentiating between authenticity and virtuality. These findings suggest that inclusiveness is important to digital futures of cultural heritage, and inclusiveness can be operationalized by emphasizing closer collaboration, balancing technology and culture, and promoting real public participation.
Keywords
Critical discourse analysis, Cultural heritage, Digital technology, Digital transformation
Discipline
Cultural History | Databases and Information Systems
Research Areas
Information Systems and Management
Areas of Excellence
Digital transformation
Publication
VRCAI '25: Proceedings of the 20th ACM SIGGRAPH International Conference on Virtual-Reality Continuum and its Applications in Industry, Macau, December 13-14
First Page
1
Last Page
6
ISBN
9798400723629
Identifier
10.1145/3779232.3779289
Publisher
Association for Computing Machinery, Inc
City or Country
China
Citation
HUANG, Shiqing; SIAU, Keng; and CHEN, Xiaoting.
Towards inclusive digital futures of cultural heritage: Insights from a critical discourse analysis of UNESCO Dialogues. (2025). VRCAI '25: Proceedings of the 20th ACM SIGGRAPH International Conference on Virtual-Reality Continuum and its Applications in Industry, Macau, December 13-14. 1-6.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/11048
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.