Heritage Conservation Management and Inter-Institutional Relations at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Zanzibar Stone Town, Tanzania

There is an increasing agreement between academic researchers and heritage practitioners in the field about the need for stakeholders to have much greater involvement in the management of cultural heritage. The concept of inter-institutional relations is important for gaining a full understanding of the changing relationships of stakeholders collaborating in cultural heritage management, in which conflict is thought to be the norm. This study seeks to challenge this notion of conflictual relationships as the norm in heritage conservation management, using Zanzibar Stone Town, a World Heritage Site, as a case study, by exploring the range of inter-institutional relationships involved in managing cultural heritage. Using documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with key informants, our research shows a diverse range of inter-institutional relationships beyond conflict. Good relationships are seen in collaboration and exchange of expertise, information, and funds that enhance the conservation of heritage, while poor relationships get exemplified through negligence, arguments, and nascent conflict that impede conservation objectives. The study broadens our understanding of the nature of inter-institutional relationships in managing heritage conservation in historic towns with World Heritage status while highlighting research and policy implications.