ARMHCP-Contemporary Issues and Debates In Heritage and Cultural Property (Ma)

Module Provider: Archaeology
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2020/1

Email: a.m.cant@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module focuses on the concepts, institutions, politics, and legal claims of heritage and cultural property in the contemporary world. You will develop a detailed understanding of the historical development of these concepts and the national and global institutions, such as English Heritage and UNESCO, through which they are promoted. You will develop a critical understanding of the political, economic, social and environmental issues and debates surrounding heritage and cultural property, both in class and through independent research. You will also develop a comprehensive understanding of how heritage has become an important global industry premised on economies of tourism and heritage site conservation. By looking at different cases of heritage and cultural property, you will investigate such questions as: What is the relationship between heritage, identity and the nation-state? What happens when culture becomes a resource? Can the concept of cultural property afford the protections that indigenous and minority groups seek? What are the consequences of natural and human made threats to heritage sites? Course materials will primarily be academic texts and documentary films about specific cases from all over the world. The module will be delivered through a series of lectures, seminar sessions, and documentary films, with a strong emphasis on independent research.

Aims:

• To introduce and consolidate students’ knowledge of the history and contemporary features of heritage and cultural property.


• To enable students to understand and critically assess important terminology in the heritage industries, such as “intangible heritage,” “cultural appropriation,” and “repatriation.”


• To enable students to develop their own critical perspectives on the political, economic and legal issues that emerge in particular contexts of heritage and cultural property.


• To enable students to understand the relationships between the concepts of heritage, identity, property and ownership, and the implications of these in today’s world.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, terminology and institutions used by the heritage and cultural property industries.


• Identify and systematically assess the conceptual and legal tensions between different aspects of heritage and cultural property.


• Critically evaluate the social, political, environmental and economic effects or issues that can arise around heritage and cultural property.


• Use concrete examples to effectively illustrate or provide evidence for the points above.


• Demonstrate an ability to undertake self-directed research into the topic of the course.

Additional outcomes:

• To consolidate students’ research, writing and argumentation skills.


• To consolidate students’ presentation/public speaking skills.


• To allow students to focus on an in-depth case study (individual case study report assessment), enhancing their knowledge about a particular place and set of problems.

Outline content:

The course will begin with two sessions focusing on the history, concepts and institutions of heritage and cultural property before turning to specific conceptual themes, which are addressed in one session each. Students will select specific topics to investigate through their individual assessments and in-class presentation. ��The kinds of topics that may be covered include: ‘heritage and nations’; ‘economies of heritage’; ‘heritage and indigenous and minori ty groups’; ‘cultural property and repatriation’; ‘intangible cultural heritage’; ‘cultural appropriation’ and ‘heritage at risk.’ The themes are brought together in the final session, which addresses how professionals working in the heritage industries can practically engage with the anthropological insights covered in the course.

Background Reading List:

Colwell, Chip and Charlotte Jo y. 2015. ‘Communities and Ethics in the Heritage Debates.’ In Global Heritage: A Reader, Lynn Meskell, ed. London: John Wiley and Sons, pp. 112-130.

Geismar, Haidy. 2015. ‘Anthropology and Heritage Regimes.’ Annual Review of Anthropology 44: 71-85.

Hafstein, Vladimar and Martin Skrydstrup. 2017. & lsquo;Heritage vs. Property: Contrasting Regimes and Rationalities in the Patrimonial Field.’ In The Routledge Companion to Cultural Property, Jane Anderson and Haidy Geismar, eds. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 38-53.

Hodder, Ian, 2010. ‘Cultural Heritage Rights: From Ownership and Descent to Justice and Well-being.’ Anthropological Quarterly 83(4): 861-882.