CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE IN NORTHERN EUROPE (last draft) (original) (raw)
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In Europe, the development of archaeology and cultural heritage is often bound up with projects associated with the consolidation of nation states, and national and regional identities. This symbiotic relationship has a 150-year-long success rate. From the 1960s to 1970s the use of this recipe has been expanded to political projects related to indigenous groups. The concept of identity is still used to ground legislation and award financial support. Ironically, simplistic ascription of contemporary ethnic or national identities to the prehistoric record is widely regarded as theoretically dubious within the professional archaeological community. Furthermore, the identity narrative is conceivably rendered increasingly irrelevant in western and northern Europe due to the large immigrant groups from outside the continent—immigration that is also changing perceptions of relevance among younger members of the European population. Questions concerning archaeology and identity, and the narratives we tell the public, are thus becoming more acute. Based on the case study of contemporary Norway, the article sketches the conceptual basis for heritage work and the resulting archaeological narratives in a dramatically changed, globalized Europe and discusses implications for academic, public outreach, political and ethical practices.
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What is the significance of heritage for how welfare is defined? What function does heritage have in the public realm and how is heritage becoming a resource for citizens to gain influence in society? Who and what defines the public debates and the politics about heritage? Is there a knowledge gap between research communities, management, and the public understanding and use of heritage? These are some of the questions that the authors of this book reflect upon. They provide Nordic perspectives on how the management of the past takes place, and how it is carried out in the service of the society, offering new interpretations of the role of heritage in present society, where institutional heritage management has become just one of the many and multiple ways in which different publics engage with cultural heritage. This book addresses the main challenges faced by heritage managers today in light of the changing understanding of heritage in society.
Introduction: Heritage, Democracy and the Public – Nordic Approaches
2016
No one prclends Ihat democracy is perfect or alI-' se. Democracy is 11w 'orst form of eovernmenL, excepl for all those other forms thaL have 1Jan Lried frem lime to lime, (Winston Churchill in James 1974: 7566, fram a House of Commons speech on I November 1947) This quote refers Lo the election of a new prime minisler and govemment in the UK after the Second World War. then Sir Winston Churchill. despice his eflbns and all the tributes to him as prime minister during the 'ar. was not re-elected. Churchill's new famaus quote isknown as the grand example ofhatdemocracy is all about. II means: No matter howjustified you think your opinions are. you must 'leId (prelèrable 'sith a dose of humour stripped of self-importance) to the opinion at' the publie. This lesson abaut power and public opinion applies equally to how a slate-driven heritage management is organised and perlbrmed in democmtic societies. No matter how ett made 0w arguments by 0w expens vitMn 11w researeb and managemern sector are abeut the business they conduct, their opinions seem poor If Lhey do not include ar lead to dialogues wilh publie opinion about t1w past and the uses of heritage. This is why institutional heritage managements in democratic societies are concemed with what people value and with hen trends and deeperquestions that oceupy our time affeet heritage praetices and these are also significant matters for heritage researehers to uncover and analyse. In this context, the overall aim of this book is to examine hen heritage benefits the citizens of democratic societies. A main objeetive et' the bool is to elaborate and discuss the challenges at' han to manage cultural herilage vieed in relalion to societal processes in contempomiy societies. The focus. examples and topies in thc book areNordic (Denmark. Finland. Icelajid. Norway and Sueden). By thisgeographieal approach neaim to examine to «hat extent 'Nordic heritage' relates to discourses on democraev and Lhe publie. Heritage, Demoeracy and the Publie Understanding the relationship between heritage. demoemcy and the publie is a eomple and ambiguous task. The concepts desene attention, however, despite the ambiguity, because core issues have evolved in examining various aspects of why and how societies value the past and ehoose to use heritage for their own means. Societies in this context meanadiverse publie that participates in the development ofasocially defined communitv. state er nation. vhich ineludes institutional bodies. such as museums. herilage presenationists, universities and other gnvernmenlal sectors. as well as social groups in Lhe non-authorised domain associated wilh the general publie, for instance heritage associahons and local or ethnic groups. Understanding public values is signifieant for undersmnding hos herimge is related to democracy. As explained by Ricardo Btaug. Louise Honier and Rohit Lekhi in the paper Heritage, democracy and public value: Public value' is a tricty concept. There are many meanings of public', and still more of value'. The former can refer to public goods, to social capilal, civil society er Lhe public sphere. 'Value' is a term that is equally fraught To same it means economic valuehow much a produet or service is worth relative In other things
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Increased migration has prompted discussions regarding most of the prime functions of museums as societal institutions. When the population and potential users of museums become more heterogeneous and diverse, the idea of a shared common national history becomes contested. Immigrant cultures have an important function in history writing and in heritage production. Many museum officials are currently concerned about developing new means to enable museums to face the challenges arising from increased migration. Such societal changes effect both the larger, long established national institutions, and the smaller regional or local museums. Although their means and methods vary significantly, the degree of inventiveness, engagement and resourcefulness is not necessarily proportional to the institution's age or size. In this article, we ask what are the means and approaches that Norwegian museums currently use to involve migrants in museum work and how do they include stories and experiences from modern migrants in their collections.
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This introduction to the themed section Using our Past, Defining our Futures-Debating Heritage and Culture in Europe summarises the three articles and outlines their approach to heritage. The authors all share a vision of heritage as a future-oriented tool for change. Heritage is interpreted as a cultural process that seeks to link past and present, but also aims to influence the future. As our societies evolve over time, the changes in our social values force us to re-evaluate and re-interpret our heritagesto re-determine the boundaries between what we cherish, what we are proud of, and what we regret. From this perspective heritage is not only open to change, but also a process that requires revision. Instead of the preservationist approach that sees heritage as something needing protection, the authors approach it as potent agent for social and political change. Empirically the articles contribute to the active debates on the idea of European culture and heritage by focusing on the relationship between the past and the meanings attached to it in contemporary societies. The authors especially address the practices of meaning-making that are embedded in the ways different aspects of our past are discussed, narrated, and reinterpreted.
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This article is concerned with some of the implications of the fact that Europe is so widely seen as a place replete with heritage, museums and memory, and also with the continuing expansion in numbers and types of heritage, museums and memory. It seeks to explore some of the ways in which heritage, in particular, is understood (including what it calls 'sticky heritage'), and especially the cultural and social work that it is often seen as able to do. To this end, the article reviews a number of trends in heritage developments, especially the diversification of what it calls 'Museum Europe' (e.g. in the establishment of museums or exhibitions about migration) and the kinds of citizenship that this mobilises. Some of the dilemmas as well as capacities of these developments are discussed. At the same time, the article reviews some of the directions in heritage research and the implications of this, and of 'Museum Europe' itself, for anthropology , ethnology and related disciplines. Preamble A tour guide produced in the US gives the following advice to tourists visiting Europe: "Don't feel like you have to see something just because it is über-famous. Don't make Europe into a giant checklist. Visit what truly interests you, and feel free to skip what doesn't fl oat your boat. If you are going to wear yourself out, at least do it on the stuff that you truly enjoy."