Studiegids

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Heritage Protection in the 21st Century

Vak
2024-2025

Admission requirements

The course is part of the BA Track Heritage and Society and only open to those enrolled for this track.

Description

This course explores the institutional practices surrounding (archaeological) heritage protection. The prime aim is to gain an understanding of (archaeological) heritage protection from a practical perspective. The focus will be on the Netherlands, but we will also include the international context and perspective.

We will look into national and international policies of the main actors in heritage protection. The focus will be on the protection and management of tangible heritage. We will include the protection of iconic sites that may be turned (or have been turned) into World Heritage.

Questions we will address are: How do we select and protect those sites? Which instruments do we use? How effective are these? Which challenges and opportunities do heritage organizations encounter?
Students will learn how heritage protection works in daily practice, primarily at the level of local and national authorities. We will engage with practitioners who do this on an everyday basis to explore how it is organized and what the tasks and activities are of the main institutions and other non-governmental actors.

You will also discover the skills you need and may have to develop if you have the ambition to get a job in one of these aspects of heritage protection. Topics discussed vary from rules and regulations to looting and illicit trade, from storing material in repositories, to involving stakeholders in decision-making (participatory governance).

Course objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, you will:

  • have gained insights in key concepts from the institutional practices (and discourses) concerning the concept of heritage protection and preservation;

  • have gained insights in institutional practice (and discourses) regarding heritage preservation and the way in which it is shaped by the realities of everyday life;

  • have gained an understanding of the challenges contemporary heritage managers face;

  • have assessed the effectiveness of contemporary heritage protection;

  • have learned what you will do as a professional conducting heritage protection and what knowledge and skills you will need as such a professional;

  • have reflected on and have articulated your own future role in heritage management and protection.

Timetable

Course schedule details can be found in MyTimetable.
Log in with your ULCN account, and add this course using the 'Add timetable' button.

Mode of instruction

  • Introduction and context lecture(s);

  • Literature study;

  • Assignments (in class and take home);

  • policy evaluation session(s);

  • Group presentations;

  • Discussion(s) with practitioners.

Attendance of classes is compulsory.

Assessment method

  • Individual participation in class discussions (10%);

  • Individual preparation of weekly assignments (answering questions in relation to the literature) (30%);

  • Individual reflection report (assignment on the basis of a format) (10%);

  • Group presentation (25%);

  • Final policy evaluation assignment (group assignment) (25%).

Assessment deadlines

The dates of exams and retakes can be found in MyTimetable. The deadlines of papers, essays and assignments are communicated through Brightspace.

Reading list

Titles will be communicated through Brightspace.

Registration

Enrolment for all components of your study programme through MyStudymap is mandatory. This applies to both compulsory elements and elective credits. If you are not enrolled, you may not participate.

General information about registration can be found on the Course and exam enrolment page.

Exchange and Study Abroad students, please contact the exchange coordinator for information on how to apply.

All information for those who are interested in taking this course as a Contractstudent is on the Contractonderwijs Archeologie webpage (in Dutch).

Contact

For more information about this course, please contact Dr. M.H. (Monique) van den Dries.

Remarks