Heritage and Politics in the Public Value Era: an analysis of the historic environment sector, the public, and the state in England since 1997

This thesis examines the development of legislation, policy, and practice for the historic environment sector in England since 1997 in the context of the formative political and societal influences that act to shape it. Over this period, the emergence of a ‘public value paradigm’ for heritage is identified and the thesis considers the historical and ethical foundations for heritage within this ‘Public Value era’. The thesis then undertakes an explicitly political analysis of the historic environment sector and the effectiveness of the processes and practices which guide its political and public reputations and relationships.

Set against this analysis, the thesis explores the question of how the historic environment sector should seek to construct a set of contemporary practices, in a changeable political world, which are compatible with the principles of public value that underpin the rhetoric of modern heritage. Of particular note is the influence of changing governance practices and economic conditions evident under recent Governments. The thesis examines the impacts of these various influences and attempts to disentangle the principles and utility of public value from the contextual political opportunities which have influenced its development in practice.

The thesis offers a solution in the form of a public value framework, designed to guide the strategic engagement of the historic environment sector with its political, professional and public stakeholders. This framework is used to show how public value provides a viable model for conceptualising and shaping the political engagement of the professional historic environment sector and effectively navigating political systems. It therefore aims to contribute to the development of an innovative and flexible public value-rooted sector which is capable of delivering broad and socially relevant heritage benefits through historic environment sector activities.