Cultural Heritage and Human Rights
by
Helaine Silverman (Editor); D. Fairchild Ruggles (Editor)
Call Number: YOUNG CC135 .C82 2007 & Online
ISBN: 9780387713120
Publication Date: 2007-11-28
This volume addresses a deeply political aspect of heritage preservation and management as it relates to human rights. Social and community advocates assert that heritage is necessary for the articulation and preservation of cultural identity. The display of heritage monuments and performance can be a strategy for asserting minority identity in the face of majority pressure - as well as a tool for resistance and the expression of difference. Conversely, the erasure of cultural expressions--such as buildings, monuments, language, religion, and social practices--is a powerful tool in warfare and political regulation. In the assault on human lives and political autonomy, the cultural history and values of a community are also attacked, destroying not only individuals but the very fabric of society. The cases presented are world-wide with their implications presented on a global level. This interdisciplinary volume brings together contributors from such diverse fields as: history, culture studies, anthropology, urban and regional planning, archaeology, gender studies, landscape architecture, heritage and museum studies, political economy, and legal studies. It will be of interest to scholars and practitioners in fields that are affected by heritage, globalization and social/cultural studies.