Culture, Heritage and Politics

Culture, heritage and politics is a degree that brings together three disciplines whose subject matter is deeply intertwined. Culture is concerned with the meanings, practices and symbols through which human communities understand themselves and relate to each other. Heritage addresses how the past is preserved, interpreted and contested in the present, encompassing museums, historic sites, archives and the stories communities tell about their own histories.

Politics examines how power is distributed and exercised, how decisions are made collectively, and how institutions shape and are shaped by the societies they govern. In all three areas, questions of identity, memory, authority and belonging are central.

At the University of the Highlands and Islands this four-year full-time programme is delivered across the institution's distinctive network of colleges and learning centres, which spans some of the most historically and culturally distinctive landscapes in Scotland. This setting gives the programme a particularly vivid relationship with its subject matter: the heritage of the Highlands, the Islands, and the Gaelic and Norse traditions that shaped these communities are directly present in the environment in which you study. You will engage with cultural theory, heritage management, political analysis and the methodologies of historical inquiry, developing a broad and integrated perspective on how culture, history and power relate to one another.

You will develop skills in research, critical analysis, communication and the evaluation of evidence from diverse sources, all of which are transferable to a wide range of professional contexts.

Graduates pursue careers in heritage management, museums and cultural organisations, local and national government, community development, tourism, arts administration, policy research and education. Many go on to postgraduate study in heritage, cultural studies, politics or related fields. The degree is particularly well suited to anyone who wants to work at the intersection of culture, community and public life.