Heritage studies and the privileging of theory

Abstract

Heritage studies is yet to have a debate about its theorisation at the global level. Many of the core ideas that shape the field are rooted in the contexts of Europe and the USA and geographically rolled out in normative ways. This paper argues it is important we embark on pluralising how heritage is studied and theoretically framed, in ways that better address the heterogeneous nature of heritage, for both the West and the non-West. The themes of modernity, cities and international cultural policy provide evidence of why we need to better position the academic study of heritage in relation to the rapid geo-political and geo-cultural shifts now taking place.

Keywords:

• heritage theory
• conservation
• Eurocentrism
• globalisation
• post-western

Notes

1. Such texts sit within a long tradition of comparative accounts of world architecture, many of which exhibit problematic imbalances and prejudices. For a notable example, see Bannister’s Fletcher’s (1954) ‘tree of world architecture’.

2. In his concluding discussion on the future of archaeology theory, for example, Johnson (2010) includes a section dedicated to ‘diversity and pluralism’. Interestingly, no mention is given is to the deeply ingrained geographical biases of scholarship today, and what might be gained by incorporating non-Western epistemologies and methodology. Instead pluralisation pertains to the inclusion of non-canonical approaches in Europe and North America (2010, 231–233).

3. For an excellent critique of the narrative of indigenous research, see Shepherd and Haber (2011).

4. As studies by Crinson, Chang and others illustrate, questions of geographic and historic focus have a strong bearing on the value of interpretive theory, in their case interpreting the global spread of modern architecture. Indeed, I would argue that a universalist conception of heritage, even when conceived in its most critical form, risks reducing too much theoretical debate to the realm of aesthetics.

5. The total number of results for the search was 304, the vast majority of which were citations. Apart from the 20 or so published articles, the balance was made up of unpublished presentations, and pdf documents. Search conducted 25 October 2012.