Heritage Conservation and Social Engagement

Edited by Renata F. Peters, Iris L. F. den Boer, Jessica S. Johnson, and Susanna Pancaldo

ISBN: 9781787359208

Publication: December 08, 2020

Open Access PDF £0.00 Paperback £20.00 Hardback £40.00

What is this?

Heritage Conservation and Social Engagement explores different kinds of engagement, participation, access, and creative use of resources motivated by the practice of conservation, and offers ethical and practical perspectives from which to approach cultural heritage projects.

The chapters are structured around the themes of engagement and participation, with an emphasis on the value of cross-disciplinary collaborations and the adoption of more encompassing approaches to conservation decision-making. The authors explore the complexities of these collaborations, which are often influenced by the colonial baggage of museums and whose effectiveness vary according to context, objectives, methods and resources available. Given the variable nature of the factors involved, providing evidence for the beneficial impacts of engagement is not always a straightforward task. For a strong body of evidence to be formed, it is essential that conservators continue to create spaces to debate methods that may open new frontiers.

Efforts to promote inclusion and engagement through museum collections and the broader heritage sector are becoming even more socially relevant, as in recent years we have observed a rise in intolerance towards minority groups in traditionally democratic societies. The heritage sector is responding strongly, however, as it has the tools to help fight prejudices that are invariably based on misinformation or manipulation of facts. This book joins these efforts, in the knowledge that nothing can be done without dialogue and engagement.

Renata F. Peters is Associate Professor in Conservation at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL.

Iris L. F. den Boer has an MA in Classical Archaeology from Leiden University and an MA in Principles of Conservation from UCL.

Jessica S. Johnson is the Head of Conservation at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute.

Susanna Pancaldo is a Conservator of Objects (Metals) at the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge.

List of figures
List of tables

Notes on contributors

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Renata F. Peters

1. Conservation and engagement: transforming and being transformed

Renata F. Peters

2. Conservation and collaboration: a discussion

Miriam Clavir

3. The role of conservation education in reconciliation: the example of the Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage

Jessica S. Johnson, Kim Cullen Cobb and Brian Michael Lione