IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ine/journl/v62y2026i71p362-376.html

Educational policies for cultural heritage and identity building: narrative communication as a tool for sustainable local development

Author

Listed:
  • Albana Hodaj

    (University “Aleksandër Moisiu†, Durrës, Albania)

Abstract

Objective: This paper explores how educational policies and narrative communication can serve as effective instruments for integrating cultural heritage into identity building and sustainable local development. Focusing on southern Albania, it analyzes the intersection of education, culture, and public policy to assess how storytelling, collective memory, and local traditions are used in schools to foster civic awareness and social inclusion. Method: The research draws on a mixed-methods approach, combining policy analysis of EU-funded educational initiatives (such as Erasmus+, Creative Europe, and IPA) with qualitative case studies in marginalized regions. Through semi-structured interviews and document review, the study examines how schools and cultural institutions collaborate to integrate heritage elements-such as oral traditions, dialects, and rituals-into both formal and non-formal curricula. Results: Results show a significant increase in student engagement and community participation in heritage-centered programs, alongside enhanced intergenerational dialogue and local identity awareness. In particular, intangible cultural practices have proven effective in improving educational motivation and social cohesion, especially in rural contexts. Originality: The study offers an innovative contribution by reframing cultural heritage not merely as a static object of preservation, but as a dynamic, participatory process embedded in education. It proposes a culturally responsive model that combines narrative pedagogy with development goals, positioning education as a catalyst for democratic participation and regional resilience. This approach aligns with broader European strategies for inclusive and future-facing education, emphasizing the importance of heritage in constructing identities and sustainable communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Albana Hodaj, 2026. "Educational policies for cultural heritage and identity building: narrative communication as a tool for sustainable local development," Romanian Journal of Economics, Institute of National Economy, vol. 62(1(71)), pages 362-376, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ine:journl:v:62:y:2026:i:71:p:362-376

    Download full text from publisher

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ; ; ; ; ;

    JEL classification:

    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • Z11 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economics of the Arts and Literature
    • O35 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Social Innovation
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • L31 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ine:journl:v:62:y:2026:i:71:p:362-376. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Valentina Vasile (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inacaro.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.