From Nomination to Implementation: Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Governance in Comparative Perspective

This article examines the trajectories of post-inscription heritage governance in the Arab world through a comparative analysis of Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Morocco. While UNESCO inscription has often been treated as a symbolic endpoint, this study explores how institutional frameworks, planning instruments, and governance practices translate –– or fail to translate –– international recognition into sustainable heritage management. Three research questions guide the analysis: (1) How do institutional arrangements shape governance trajectories after inscription? (2) How are planning instruments mobilized to operationalize inscription? (3) How do national governance models influence regional and international heritage agendas? Drawing on qualitative comparative analysis, documentary evidence, and critical heritage theory, the article investigates five analytical dimensions across the three cases. The findings highlight the decisive role of legal and institutional capacity in shaping governance outcomes; the importance of embedding heritage in binding, cross-sectoral planning frameworks; and the growing use of heritage as a tool of cultural diplomacy, particularly in the Saudi case. By linking critical heritage studies with comparative public administration, the article contributes to both academic debates and policy discussions on how Arab states can move beyond inscription toward participatory, legally grounded, and strategically integrated heritage governance.