TOWARDS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SPACE IN HERITAGE STUDIES

Abstract

This paper seeks to introduce the importance of the spatial conceptualization in heritage studies. It appears that the study of heritage is displayed, many times, as an addendum of research related to tourism. Regarding the relations between heritage and geography, our goal is to bring together two realms of knowledge by debating the spatial category within three approaches: the space as material environment; the space as difference; and the space as social spatiality. It is noteworthy that none of the perspectives brought forward can solely comprehend the role played by this conceptual category in the heritage studies. Therefore, we conducted an evaluation of the main aspects that each spatial theory brings to the heritage studies. In this way, we sought to encourage new possibilities for dialogue among these two fields of knowledge.