AY5025:06
Principles and Concepts in Cultural Heritage
Townsville
HECS Band 1
50 hours flexible delivery. Distance education, semester 2.
Available to students who have completed a BA(Hons), BSocSc(Hons) in anthropology or archaeology or a BSc(Hons) in archaeology or equivalent qualification approved by the Executive Dean on advice from the Head of School.
Staff: Dr R Henry.
This subject will cover a range of topics critical to cultural heritage management. These include national and international legal frameworks as well as ethical considerations including such principles as informed consent, privacy and confidentiality. It will introduce students to the trial process, problems of evidence and the role of heritage professionals as ‘expert witnesses’. It will examine a number of issues including the ownership of heritage, what is heritage, different systems of land tenure and other rights. The subject will critically evaluate key concepts used in cultural heritage management including ‘culture’ and ‘society’, ‘custom’ and ‘tradition’, ‘sites’ and ‘cultural landscapes’, ‘management’ and ‘development’, ‘resources’ and ‘environment’ etc. This is important as such concepts underpin legislation, government and international policy, the expression of cultural identities and the portrayal of these in the media. The critique will focus on the ways in which the meanings of these have been historically and politically produced and their current usage in heritage practice.
Learning Objectives:
- understand the scope and sources of the body of law relating to cultural heritage management;
- understand the role of cultural heritage managers in the use of legislation, the development of policy and when acting as ‘expert witnesses’ or as participants/contributors in mediation processes;
- critically analyse a number of key concepts that underpin current cultural heritage practice;
- an understanding of the varied uses and meanings of such terms in a range of social and political contexts;
- understand how such concepts are used in cultural heritage studies.
Assessment by written assignments (100%).