ARC 2340 - HERITAGE SITES

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), heritage sites encompass sites of "outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view." This course will develop the fundamental themes, ideas, and case studies required to analyze, understand and critically engage with heritage sites in a comparative and global perspective. We will begin charting the European origins of the western understandings of heritage and exploring the development of national and international heritage legislation, charters and organizations. The course will then explore emerging trends that challenge Eurocentric notions of heritage: from critical heritage studies to approaches that specifically focus on minorities, women, and indigenous groups, and the broader issues of human rights and development. Starting from the second third of the semester, case studies from different geographic areas, time periods and themes will be discussed: heritage sites and national identity; heritage sites and tourism; heritage sites and sustainable development; threats to heritage; negative and difficult heritage; heritage and human rights; heritage futures. Finally, we will discuss the increasing interest in bottom-up initiatives that focus on grassroots, people-centered approaches to foster community engagement and participation in the management, programming and interpretation of heritage.
Academic Career: Graduate
Course Component: Lecture
Grade Component: Grad LG/SNC Basis

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