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Rhpositive.net is the personal blog of Roland Hochstrasser. The contents presented on these pages are the result of work carried out in various fields, with a particular interest in cultural policies, territory, tourism, and communication strategies. The purpose is certainly not to provide definitive answers, on the contrary: the texts propose reflections that aim to stimulate questions for further developments. Hence the name and slogan, which emphasize the importance of having constructive and positive perspectives.
Cultural heritage, when made accessible and participatory, can constitute a powerful tool for countering spatial inequalities and injustices. As emphasised by the Faro Convention (Council of Europe, 2005), heritage is not a neutral object to be preserved, but a right to be actively exercised, capable of generating social cohesion and catalysing democratic processes.
Each year, one European city -occasionally more- earns the right to call itself a capital: not of a country, but of culture itself. For twelve months, a title, a budget, and a spotlight land on a place, before moving on to the next one, leaving behind lasting impacts on local and regional cultural sectors. This map traces that pattern, starting with the very first title awarded in 1985 (Athens).
The publication “Cultural Observatories Worldwide: A Map for Reading Culture” (Thematic Focus no. 2 - 2026) presents an international survey of cultural observatories, with the aim of providing an overview of these institutions and their main characteristics.
This article analyzes the dual phenomena of overtourism and undertourism, examining their causes, socio-economic impacts, and the complex challenges they present for contemporary tourism management. By contrasting these dynamics and exploring strategic approaches to sustainable governance, it situates the debate within broader discussions about mobility, cultural heritage, and urban resilience. The piece highlights key concepts, case examples, and future directions in the study of tourism flows.
This article explores how Dubai has constructed its future-oriented urban imaginary through architecture, mega-events and cultural narratives, positioning itself as a laboratory for global visions of modernity.
Cultural Observatories emerged in the late 1980s, gaining prominence over the last two decades. Initially inspired by Grenoble's Observatoire des politiques culturelles (1989) and Strasbourg's Observatoire européen de l'audiovisuel (1992), these observatories now number more than 100 across four continents, with a significant concentration in Europe. They vary in scope and focus, reflecting the diversity of cultural landscapes.
At a quick and superficial reading, statistics and culture may seem like two separate realities that only interact under close supervision. To simplify, the cultured individual tends to stigmatize the false certainties hidden behind numbers, while the statistician perhaps looks with barely concealed annoyance at that galaxy of activities that escape easily definable metrics.
This article presents basic concepts and critical perspectives on ecosystem alterations, focusing on how human activities have transformed biotic and abiotic system components. It synthesizes ecological theory with reflections on perception and communication, situating scientific evidence within broader debates about environmental change and media representation. Key elements include definitions of ecosystems, structural properties, scales of alteration, and the role of human impacts in shaping contemporary dynamics.
Latest
- Accessible cultural heritage: freedom to move, freedom to read the territory
- A Year in the Spotlight: Europe's Cultural Capitals Landscape
- Cultural Observatories Worldwide: A Map for Reading Culture
- Globetrotters. A Repertory of World Travelers, 1850-1945
- Giving a Voice to the Past: Intangible Heritage and Forgotten Territories
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