Applied Cultural Heritage: How telling the past at historic sites benefits society.
International Conference 17-19 November 2010 Kalmar, Sweden
Contemporary society is in a process of transformation to adapt to new environmental, social and political challenges of global significance. We need to find new ways to address ever larger issues. In this situation we wish to reconsider the role of cultural heritage. Since the 19th century, nation states have drawn on the national heritage in order to construct exclusive cultural identities based on the paradigm of shared roots. As the world has been changing dramatically over the past two hundred years, we need to ask how cultural
heritage and stories about the past benefit society today.
• Which historic sites and stories about the past are important in creating meaning for people today?
• How should the past be told and whose stories should we tell in multi-cultural societies?
• In what way can historic sites promote social cohesion, human rights, peace and democracy?
• What contribution is made by recalling traumatic memories of violence and oppression?
• Which new ways are emerging in which cultural heritage benefits society today?
The purpose of the conference is to generate discussion across a broad spectrum of possible answers to these and related questions. We will bring together researchers and professionals from a variety of academic disciplines and occupations in several countries. The conference will also feature a unique “Time Travel” experience applying a widely practiced method of historic environment education. The resulting dynamic of the conference will result in new ideas and provide practical inspiration for all participants.
Keynote speakers:
Bernt Gustavsson, Professor of Pedagogy, Örebro University, Sweden
Jon Hunner, Professor of History, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA
Radikobo Ntsimane, Deputy Director of Sinomlando Centre for Oral History and Memory Work,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Henrik Zipsane, Director, Jämtlands County Museum, Sweden
The conference is jointly organised by Linnaeus University Kalmar-Växjö (Lnu.se) and Kalmar läns museum/Centre for Historic Environment Education (www.kalmarlansmuseum.se) and Bridging Ages, International Organization in Historic Environment Education and Time Travels (www.bridgingages.com).
The conference is supported by the Swedish Science Council (Vetenskapsrådet).
Organization Committee: Birgitta E. Gustafsson and Cornelius Holtorf, Linnaeus University; Ebbe Westergren, Bridging Ages, Kalmar läns museum.
For further information contact:
Linda Hansson, Linda.hansson_AT_kalmarlansmuseum.se
Phone: +4672-74 20 504