Maya Ruins, Cultural Tourism and the Contested Symbolism of Collective Identities

The development of accessible Maya archaeological sites, such as Uxmal, into cultural tourism attractions has created a supranational framework that fuels the growth of Maya ethnonationalism. This transformation, driven by economic and occupational factors, constructs an unrepresentative image of Maya civilization, shaping modern nation-state heritage while also influencing collective identities. The study examines how mass tourism and cultural resource management interact to produce this symbolic shift, highlighting the contested nature of these representations in contemporary society.

W. Ehrentraut, A. (2021). Maya Ruins, Cultural Tourism and the Contested Symbolism of Collective Identities. Culture, 16(1), 15–32. https://doi.org/10.7202/1084101ar