Digital cultural mapping: exploring the cultural identity of the Lake Constance region via participatory mapping and story maps

This article presents the results of a two-year research project that aimed to strengthen the cultural identity of the Lake Constance region. To do this, stakeholders such as the local population, businesses, tourists and regional planning actors participated in creating “cultural mappings” on topics such as home, identification, and attachment to the region. The project had both a methodological and empirical focus. In terms of methodology, it aimed to digitally transform cultural mapping through participatory mapping and digital storytelling. The resulting toolbox was then tested in the empirical part of the study, which examined the cultural identity of the study area and its potential use for regional development. The adaptable digital approach to cultural mapping proved essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions severely limited fieldwork. The results showed that by using participatory mapping to collect data and story maps to present it, various aspects of cultural identity, as well as respondents’ subjective perceptions of regions, values, and opinions can be made visible.