CRITICAL HERITAGE STUDIES

This series examines all aspects of the new field of Critical Heritage Studies.  

Editors: Kristian Kristiansen, Ola Wetterberg, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Shu-Li Wang, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, Francis Nyamnjoh, University of Cape Town, South Africa, Michael Rowlands, UCL UK, Astrid Swenson, Bath University, UK.

Themes covered:

Critical Heritage Theory

Here we aim at covering recent theoretical trends from heritage and post-humanities to themes on class, gender and ethics. How does different theoretical discourses impact critical heritage in different parts of the world.

Heritage and objects

Heritage and objects covers a broad spectrum from crafts and second hand things to the role of things for well-being/curing, their role under conditions of displacement and migration. Also heritage tourism and consumption may fall under this theme.

Intangible heritage and memorialization

Memory and migration, as well as memorial heritage. Heritage affect and empathy, and the role of sensing. Loss and memory.

Preservation and rights policies

This theme covers rights policies under different social and political conditions, from approaches to preservation and property to people based conservation

Heritage politics and policies

What does heritage change, and how did politics and polities intervene, from World Heritage policies to  questions of justice.

Heritage histories and futures

What is the role of the history of heritage for the way we approach heritage today and in the future. How do we approach new categories of future heritage, and their transformation in the process.

Urban heritage

How do we critically approach urban heritage in divided cities, the role of urban commons, and the role of heritage for urban resistance

Heritage after conflict/war

Loss and reconciliation after war are unfortunately still urgent themes, and linked to that memories and segregation linked to difficult pasts.

Archiving and digital heritage

New roles of archives in the digital age linked to activism and participatory approaches, but also archives and trauma linked to difficult pasts

New frontiers in Critical Heritage Studies

An open invitation, possible themes are heritage and iconoclasm, climate change, heritage and science, heritage and genetics

Contact: You can contact one of the editors with a proposal, or one of the editors may contact you with a suggestion for an Element book.

Here are email addresses for the editors:

shuliwang@gate.sinica.edu.tw, m.rowlands@ucl.ac.uk, nyamnjoh@gmail.com, kristian.kristiansen@archaeology.gu.se, ola.wetterberg@conservation.gu.se, a.swenson@bathspa.ac.uk,