Institutional limitations in the management of UNESCO cultural heritage in Serbia: The case of Gamzigrad-Romuliana archaeological site

Previous studies have shown that there is a lack of interdisciplinary understanding of how urban dynamics and cultural heritage interact with each other. In the light of this problem, the paper first examines new institutional theory as a theoretical framework for connecting UNESCO cultural heritage policies and land-use policies. Secondly, it specifically explores the institutional limitations related to the management of UNESCO cultural heritage in Serbia through the case study of the Gamzigrad-Romuliana archeological site. Since new institutional theory considers institutions as formal and informal organizations, in addition to considering the rules and procedures that build patterns of behavior, this paper analyzes: the stakeholders involved in the management of Gamzigrad-Romuliana and related decision making; the policies and plans at different levels of spatial organization (from international to local) that are important for Gamzigrad-Romuliana; and the methodological and procedural framework used to formulate these policies. The strengths and weaknesses of the institutional framework in Serbia are defined, and recommendations for its improvement are made.