Research line 1
Arts & Heritage in the Making
Key research themes: dynamic heritage; contested heritage; stakeholders; multi-level perspectives; local/global
This research theme studies arts and heritage in the making. It focuses on the ways in which arts, cultural, natural and immaterial heritage are created in processes of negotiation between a variety of actors. Heritage policies have to operate within a field of tensions. On the one hand, arts and heritage are considered to be of increased importance as constitutive for cultural identity and a sense of belonging in an increasingly globalised, multicultural and fast changing environment. On the other hand, arts and heritage are ever more defined as economic assets; the valorisation of arts and heritage can create new jobs and stimulate economic growth. Arts and heritage, in other words, are business: motors that may encourage tourism and, more recently, engage the creative industries. These purposes might go together but very often they conflict with each other and with the traditional goals of arts and heritage conservation.
In this theme, the roles of stakeholders are key; cultural actors, NGO’s, policy bodies and infrastructures such as governmental bodies, cultural foundations, museums and their networking will be investigated. How can we understand the power plays between the various stakeholders and how do they intersect local and global boarders?
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