Abstract
In recent years an interest in ‘critical heritage studies’ (CHS) has grown significantly–its differentiation from ‘heritage studies’ rests on its emphasis of cultural heritage as a political, cultural, and social phenomenon. But how original or radical are the concepts and aims of CHS, and why has it apparently become useful or meaningful to talk about critical heritage studies as opposed to simply ‘heritage studies’? Focusing on the canon of the 1980s and 1990s heritage scholarship–and in particular the work of the ‘father of heritage studies’, David Lowenthal–this article offers a historiographical analysis of traditional understandings and approaches to heritage, and the various explanations behind the post-WWII rise of heritage in western culture. By placing this analysing within the wider frames of post-war historical studies and the growth of scholarly interest in memory, the article seeks to highlight the limitations and bias of the much of the traditional heritage canon, and in turn frame the rationale for the critical turn in heritage studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | International Journal of Heritage Studies |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 2 Feb 2019 |
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Critical heritage studies and the legacies of the late-twentieth century heritage canon. / Gentry, Kynan; Smith, Laurajane.
In: International Journal of Heritage Studies, 02.02.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Critical heritage studies and the legacies of the late-twentieth century heritage canon
AU - Gentry, Kynan
AU - Smith, Laurajane
PY - 2019/2/2
Y1 - 2019/2/2
N2 - In recent years an interest in ‘critical heritage studies’ (CHS) has grown significantly–its differentiation from ‘heritage studies’ rests on its emphasis of cultural heritage as a political, cultural, and social phenomenon. But how original or radical are the concepts and aims of CHS, and why has it apparently become useful or meaningful to talk about critical heritage studies as opposed to simply ‘heritage studies’? Focusing on the canon of the 1980s and 1990s heritage scholarship–and in particular the work of the ‘father of heritage studies’, David Lowenthal–this article offers a historiographical analysis of traditional understandings and approaches to heritage, and the various explanations behind the post-WWII rise of heritage in western culture. By placing this analysing within the wider frames of post-war historical studies and the growth of scholarly interest in memory, the article seeks to highlight the limitations and bias of the much of the traditional heritage canon, and in turn frame the rationale for the critical turn in heritage studies.
AB - In recent years an interest in ‘critical heritage studies’ (CHS) has grown significantly–its differentiation from ‘heritage studies’ rests on its emphasis of cultural heritage as a political, cultural, and social phenomenon. But how original or radical are the concepts and aims of CHS, and why has it apparently become useful or meaningful to talk about critical heritage studies as opposed to simply ‘heritage studies’? Focusing on the canon of the 1980s and 1990s heritage scholarship–and in particular the work of the ‘father of heritage studies’, David Lowenthal–this article offers a historiographical analysis of traditional understandings and approaches to heritage, and the various explanations behind the post-WWII rise of heritage in western culture. By placing this analysing within the wider frames of post-war historical studies and the growth of scholarly interest in memory, the article seeks to highlight the limitations and bias of the much of the traditional heritage canon, and in turn frame the rationale for the critical turn in heritage studies.
KW - critical heritage theory
KW - heritage studies
KW - historiography
KW - Lowenthal
KW - memory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061030822&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13527258.2019.1570964
DO - 10.1080/13527258.2019.1570964
M3 - Article
JO - International Journal of Heritage Studies
JF - International Journal of Heritage Studies
SN - 1352-7258
ER -