Heritage interests: Americanism, Europeanism and Neo-ottomanism

Abstract

The district of Novi Pazar in southwestern Serbia offers an ideal case study to explore heritage and diplomacy. By analyzing processes of Europeanization and perceptions of Neo-Ottomanism in heritage practices, the article demonstrates how past, present, and future plans for South East Europe are embroiled in development trajectories that encompass partners from not only Europe and Turkey but also the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. The World Heritage Center at UNESCO and its partner organization, International Council on Monuments and Sites, hold firm commitments to the Christian identities of Stari Ras and Sopoani and legacies of medieval Raka as well as the legacies of Imperial Rome. Yet, they operate in a vacuum, neglecting to consider the hyper-connectivity that is transforming not only the physical landscapes of the region and the revitalization of Sandak and Islamic identities but also the corporate and diplomatic spheres of transnational and multidimensional interests.