GAMIFICATION AS A CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY-BASED HERITAGE WORK IN LOW-DENSITY TERRITORIES: SELECTED BEST PRACTICES FROM EUROPE

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14795/jaha.13.1.2026.1418

Abstract

This paper examines the transformative role of gamification in engaging small communities with cultural heritage. By integrating serious games and interactive strategies, gamification enhances public participation, fostering cultural citizenship and sustainable development in low-density regions. These approaches not only make cultural objects more accessible but also encourage deeper reflection on their significance within contemporary society. Focusing on best practices, gamification emphasises innovative, community-centred solutions that bridge academic research and public interaction. Fostering partnerships between small communities and academics provides a framework for identifying, safeguarding, and disseminating heritage. Highlighting successful examples, these practices demonstrate how gamification can facilitate participatory and democratic engagement, offering scalable models for broader application. This foundation supports the development of international principles for digital heritage and collaborative cultural networks.

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Author Biography

  • Sergiu Musteata, Valahia University of Târgoviște, Romania

    Sergiu MUSTEAŢĂ is a historian and a professor at Valahia University of Târgoviște, Romania. He holds his PhD from the History Faculty of „Al. I. Cuza” University, Iași, Romania, in 1999, habilitation at the „Ovidius” University of Constanța, Romania, in 2017, and another habilitation at the „Ion Creanga” Pedagogical State University of Chisinau, Moldova, in 2021. He is a former research fellow of various scholarships in the USA (Fulbright scholar at the University of Maryland, University of California Berkeley and Stanford University), Germany (DAAD and Humboldt scholar at Bonn, Freiburg, and Braunschweig universities), Hungary (OSI scholar at the Central European University), Sweden (scholar of the Swedish Institute at the Campus Gotland, Uppsala University), Poland (Thesaurus Poloniae Fellowship at International Cultural Centre, Krakow), etc. He is the author of 10 monographs, more than 300 scientific publications, and editor of over 30 books and two scientific journals. His primary academic interests are History of Eastern Europe, Cultural Heritage Preservation, and History textbook analysis.

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Published

2026-05-13

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2026): JAHA

Section

Cultural heritage protection

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Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF ANCIENT HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

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How to Cite

GAMIFICATION AS A CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY-BASED HERITAGE WORK IN LOW-DENSITY TERRITORIES: SELECTED BEST PRACTICES FROM EUROPE. (2026). JOURNAL OF ANCIENT HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.14795/jaha.13.1.2026.1418