Archaeology (Research): Archaeological Heritage in a Globalising World

Whereas Archaeology entails the reconstruction and interpretation of the past, the management of archaeological heritage is about the role of the past in the present and the design of its future. This role is increasingly being influenced by global tendencies, such as international politics, cultural tourism, the use of social media in the network society, international collaboration in education and research, and the revitalisation of local traditions and regional identities.
Archaeological Heritage in a Globalising World provides an in-depth introduction to the varied dimensions of this development and aims to provide students with practical tools to translate academic research and social knowledge into strategies for heritage management.

The core of the programme is the research seminar, which combines theoretical perspectives with applied research on management plans and nomination dossiers at the national and international level. The theoretical perspectives include a critical reflection on the changing meanings and functions of archaeological heritage in present-day society, as well as on the role of archaeology and of the archaeologists themselves in the production of historical narratives and the design of the past’s future.

The programme benefits from:

• its close association with the Center for Global Heritage and Development (CGHD), a cooperation between Leiden University, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Delft Technical University

• its research focus in the Nexus1492 project in the Caribbean, that has a strong heritage component

• a European-wide research project aimed at public involvement.

Students are encouraged to spend part of their programme at other institutions, academic as well as governmental (state, provincial and Municipal bodies for cultural heritage management).

Track leader:
Prof. dr. Jan Kolen