Contested values in heritage: A discrete choice modelling study

The valuation of cultural ecosystem services still remains elusive. In this presentation, we will discuss what type of cultural values are prioritised by people and what this means in terms of why heritage is important to them. For this, the connection between cultural values and ethical values is explored through the results of a choice modelling study that we have undertaken in Belsay Hall, a heritage site located in the North East of England.

About Brenda Dorpalen

Brenda Dorpalen is a Principal Economist at the Environment Agency, where she leads the economic work on Net Zero and Sustainability. She is an accomplished economist with expertise in non-market valuation techniques applied to intangibles such as the environment, culture, and heritage, as well as their integration into cost-benefit analyses and economic assessments.

Brenda serves as a Master Thesis Supervisor at University College London (UCL) and is an invited lecturer for postgraduate courses on the economics of sustainability and development at both UCL and the International Training Centre for the International Labour Organization. She has co-authored an article with Hana Morel titled "Adaptive Thinking in Cities: Urban Continuity Within Built Environments," published in the Journal Climate. Additionally, her recent work, "How do inequalities in cultural engagement impact on economic growth?" is set to be published by the Journal SN Business and Economics.

Prior to her current role, Brenda held the position of Senior Economist at Historic England. She has also worked at Frontier Economics in Spain, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean-United Nations, and the University of Buenos Aires. She holds a master's degree in Economic Analysis and Policy from the University of Paris VII-Sorbonne Paris City, an MSc in Cooperation, Development, and Innovation in the Global Economy from the University of Turin, and a BSc in Economics from the University of Buenos Aires. Born and raised in Argentina, Brenda brings a wealth of international experience to her work.

About Tom Colwill

Tom Colwill is an Economic Analyst at Historic England, where a significant portion of his work is dedicated to the Culture and Heritage Capital programme. Currently, his primary projects involve examining the influence of heritage concentration and proximity on individual wellbeing and refining traditional methodologies, such as travel cost methods, through the exploration of novel datasets. His team is also investigating ways to expand the use of discrete choice modelling to other forms of heritage following the successful pilot study they had conducted.

Tom graduated in 2021 with a postgraduate degree in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of the West of England. During his studies, he co-authored 'Voting with your feet or voting for Brexit: The tale of those stuck behind.' This impactful study examines the effects of cultural expenditure, including expenditure related to cultural heritage by local authorities, on levels of support for Brexit, particularly in the context of austerity measures and migration.