MASTERARBEIT / MASTER’S THESIS Titel der Masterarbeit / Title of the Master‘s Thesis „Historic Center of Prague Project: The engagement of cultural symbolism and selfhood“ verfasst von / submitted by Guan Jie Wang angestrebter akademischer Grad / in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master (MA) Wien, 2018 / Vienna, 2018 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt / A 067 805 degree programme code as it appears on the student record sheet: Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt / Individuelles Masterstudium: degree programme as it appears on Global Studies – a European Perspective the student record sheet: Betreut von / Supervisor: Ao. Univ. Prof. Dr. Margarete Grandner 1 MASTERARBEIT / MASTER THESIS Titel der Masterarbeit /Title of the Master Thesis „Historic Center of Prague Project: The engagement of cultural symbolism and selfhood“ Verfasser /Author Guan Jie Wang angestrebter akademischer Grad / academic degree aspired Master (MA) Wien, 2018 / Vienna, 2018 Studienkennzahl / degree programme A 067 805 code: Studienrichtung / degree programme: Individuelles Masterstudium: Global Studies – a European Perspective Betreuer/Supervisor: Ao. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Margarete Grandner 2 Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract (English) ........................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 Methodology: theories and sampling design .............................................................. 12 PART ONE 1) Sustainable Development: Meaning and Function .............................................. 20 2) Tourism in Prague: Overview of Tourism development ....................................... 24 i. Overview of Tourist Development .................................................................... 24 ii. The Reform of Tourism Institutions and Policies in Prague .............................. 33 iii. Tourism Policy in Prague: Current Projects of Heritage Preservation .............. 36 PART TWO 3) Missing Identity: Symbols of Heritage .................................................................. 41 i. Symbols of Architecture: Semiotics of City Panorama...................................... 41 ii Symbols of identity: Credibility and Reliability of Selfhood .............................. 45 iii Symbolism in the Project: Cultural Presentation and Identity Representation 50 4) Empirical Survey: Analysis of Questionnaire ........................................................ 56 i Empirical survey: Overview of Questionnaire and Sampling Design ................ 56 ii Overview of Attributes and Distribution of Data .............................................. 59 iii Analysis of Report ............................................................................................. 65 5) How Cultural Symbolism Reconstructs Collective Memory ................................. 71 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 75 Bibliography ................................................................................................................. 79 Questionnaire .............................................................................................................. 85 3 List of Tables Table 1 Total Travelers to Czechoslovakia 1985-92 and Annual Increase………………….27 Table 2 Selected indicators of Budapest, Prague and Vienna in 2011………………………30 Figure 1 Demonstration of Tourism Usage in Prague……………………………………………….32 Table 3 Total Travelers to Czechoslovakia 1985-92 and Annual increase………………….34 Table 4 Visitors to Czechoslovakia, 1986 and 1992………………………………………………….35 Figure 2 Historic Centre of Prague…………………………………………………………………………..37 Table 5 Personal Identity Orientation by Gender…………………………………………………….61 Table 6 Social Identity Orientation by Gender…………………………………………………………62 Table 7 Collective Identity Orientation by Gender…………………………………………………..63 Table 8 Distribution of 3 Types Identity Orientation by Age…………………………………….64 Table 9 Distribution of 3 Types Identity Orientation by Education…………………………..65 Table 10 Representation of Personal and Collective Identity on Selfhood……………….67 Table 11 Distribution of Personal and Collective Identity by Gender……………………....69 Table 12 Standard Error of Q28 by Gender………………………………………………………………70 Table 13 Assurance Game……………………………………………………………………………………….77 4 Abstract (English) Cultural heritage is not only presented in the aesthetics of architecture, but it represents the interaction between human activity and the environment. This survey adapts the idea of “cultural symbolism” to examine the creation of “sense of place”, which conveys a perception of cultural influences on the establishment of identity. In accord with empirical research, cultural symbolism impacts the establishment and transformation of the personal, social and collective identity of the Czech people. In addition, the game theory of rational choice has been applied to the analytical model to explain the collaboration between the government and the people. The outcome suggests a positive alternative to the decision-making system whereby the Czech government will promote urban planning. These findings also support cultural preservation because most participants expressed a strong motivation to cooperate with the local government in order to preserve the cultural landscape. Abstract (Deutsch) Kulturerbe zeigt sich nicht bloß in der architektonischen Ästhetik sondern verkörpert auch die Interaktion von menschlicher Aktivität und Umwelt. Diese Arbeit greift die Idee des „kulturellen Symbolismus“ auf, um die Schaffung eines „Ortsgefühls“ zu prüfen, das die Wahrnehmung kultureller Einflüsse mit der Identitätsbildung verknüpft. Der empirischen Forschung zufolge beeinflusst kultureller Symbolismus die Bildung und Veränderung persönlicher, gesellschaftlicher und kollektiver Identitäten der tschechischen Bevölkerung. Außerdem wurden in der Analyse spieltheoretische Überlegungen im Rahmen des Rational Choice-Ansatzes verwendet, um die Kollaboration zwischen Regierung und Bevölkerung zu erklären. Das Ergebnis deutet auf eine positive Alternative für den Prozess der Entscheidungsfindung, um die Stadtplanung voranzutreiben. Ebenso sprechen die Ergebnisse für die Bewahrung des Kulturerbes, da die meisten Teilnehmer der Befragung äußerten, für eine Zusammenarbeit mit der Lokalregierung im Sinne der Erhaltung der Kulturlandschaft stark motiviert zu sein. 5 Introduction The architectures in Prague convey the beauty of the cultural landscape together with the historical background, presenting the symbolism of the Czech heritage which bridges the connection between the people and the city of Prague. Lyn Leader-Elliott defines cultural landscape as an effective indicator which demonstrates the loyalty, ideology, aesthetics and every part of human activity.1 Therefore, the engagement of architecture and symbolism attracts many tourists, leading to the argument for sustainable development in relation to urban planning and heritage preservation. In Eastern Europe, Prague is known for its cross-generation of European architecture, which preserves the most prosperous treasures of historical inheritance. Pražský Hrad (Prague Castle), Karlův Most (Charles Bridge), Metropolitní Katedrála Svatého Víta (The Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Vitus), Josefov (Jewish Quarter), Staroměstské Náměstí (Old Town Square), Václavské Náměstí (Wenceslas Square) and Vyšehrad (Upper Castle) present the multicultural aesthetics of European architecture from Christianity, Catholicism to Judaism. Those historical architectures are full of cultural symbols through the presentation of the refined craftsmanship. Moreover, these artistic works have also stored the most significant cultural properties and landscape of Prague. However, the implementation of urban planning has reshaped the cultural landscape of Prague by means of the modernization to appeal to the tourism industry. For example, the increase of emerging hotels, restaurants and other tourism businesses implies a potential problem2 because the architectures have been modified to satisfy commercial usage, which not only undermines the structure of the buildings but also threatens the city panorama. Therefore, a finding from this survey about the cultural identity of Prague residents also indicates that cultural preservation becomes a problematic discourse in accord with the demand of social welfare instead of repairing the heritages. These situations indicate that Prague is in a dilemma between heritage protection and economic growth. Thus, we must ask if culture is more important than health care or a pension system. Indeed, culture is important because it manifests the relationship between people and the environment into reality. Omar Lizardo highlights that culture is the cluster to process human experiences into reality through the symbolic action. 3 Symbolic action explains the connection of symbolism and 1 Lyn Leader-Elliott, “Cultural Landscape and Sense of Place: Community and Tourism Representation of the Barossa,” in Making Sense of Place: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, ed. Ian Covery, Gerard Corsane and Peter Davis, (New Castle University: The Boydell Press, 2012): 207. 2 Veronika Dumbrovská and Dana Fialová, “Tourist Intensity in Capital Cities in