A COMMODITY-REGIONAL MODEL OF WEST VIRGINIA*

This paper presents the specification, estimation, validation, and application of a modeling study which analyzes the possible impacts of a resource industry on a state economy. The Commodity Regional Econometric Annual Macro Model of West Virginia (CREAM model) is composed of a commodity model of the West Virginia coal industry and a macroeconometric regional model of the West Virginia state economy. The model describes the detailed interrelationship between the primary commodity sector and the rest of the economy of the region. The CREAM model utilizes the concept of engine of growth at the regional level and shows the impacts of market fluctuations in the demand for and value of coal on the economy of the state.     

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in an ethnic theme park setting – the case of Binglanggu in Hainan Province,China

Since 2003, safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has become a priority of China’s cultural heritage safeguarding policies at all levels. Despite this, academic research has paid limited attention to the safeguarding of ICH in a theme park setting. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of safeguarding ICH in an ethnic theme park in China. It investigates how the Binglanggu theme park in Hainan aims to contribute to the safeguarding of Li minority heritage. The study is based on qualitative data consisting of interviews with Li minority members working at Binglanggu, the Vice-Manager of the theme park and interviews with heritage and tourism experts in Hainan, as well as observation at the theme park. The findings indicate that, when concentrating on certain ICH expressions that align with the state’s ethnic minority narrative, the theme park makes an important contribution to the research and documentation of Li minority heritage. However, the park struggles to transmit ICH expressions to the younger generations. The research concludes that essential criteria to contribute to the safeguarding of ICH are to include the ethnic minority group in the safeguarding process, for example by employing them in management positions, and to concentrate more strongly on education and transmission.