Course syllabus
Cultural Heritage Management in Latin America
Planning the Research, Conservation, and Promotion of Andean
heritage.
Professor Alvaro Higueras, PhD.
Email: alvarohig@yahoo.com
http://www.tiwanakuarcheo.net
Prerequisites: 45 credits plus one Archaeology course and one SA course.
Schedule: Tuesday 8:30 - 11:20 in the Archaeology seminar room
ASSC 9152 (Saywell Hall)
Nota: The readings suggested here, starting with session 2, will be available
online at http://drop.io/SFU10_CHMLA may change depending on a particular
interest of the students to concentrate on other cases.
Chronogram of sessions
Session 1 Tuesday, January 5: Introduction to Latin America and its heritage.
• Introduction I: Latin America, geography, society and cultural diversity.
• Introduction II: Prehistory, Colonial and Republican periods. The material
evidence. The historical imprint on today’s Latin America.
• Heritage and society. Violence and conflict in Latin American and heritage
issues.
No readings.
Session 2 Tuesday, January 12: Defining heritage.
• What is heritage? An artificial concept. A social construction.
• The past in the present. Policies and promotion of heritage conservation.
• History of Conservation: Legal, civic aspects.
• Evolution of UNESCO instruments and international treaties.
• The concept of "market" culture.
• Conclusion: our prospects. Ideas, projects and media on LA heritage.
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Readings:
Ready, Richard C. y Ståle Navrud. 2002. Why Value Cultural Heritage? En
Valuing Cultural Heritage. Applying Environmental Valuation Techniques to
Historic Buildings, Monuments and Artifacts. Ståle Navrud and Richard C.
Ready, eds. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
(You can download the document from
http://www.nba.fi/tiedostot/f6033fd6.pdf)
Watkins, Joe E. y John Beaver. 2008. What do we mean by heritage? Whose
heritage do we manage, and what rights have we to do so? En Heritage
Management 1/1: 9-36.
Session 3 Tuesday, January 19: Strategy of Cultural Heritage Management
(CHM)
• Definition of cultural heritage management.
• Evolution of ideas and practices in heritage conservation.
• What's new in the management strategy?
• Management and political processes at community level, regional and
national.
• Selection of topics for papers.
Readings:
Arizpe, Lourdes. 2000. Cultural Heritage and Globalization. En Values and
Heritage Conservation. Research Report: 32-37. The Getty Conservation
Institute, Los Angeles.
Pearce, Susan M. 2000. The Making of Cultural Heritage. En Values and
Heritage Conservation. Research Report: 59-64. The Getty Conservation
Institute, Los Angeles. + Conclusions of the document (You can download the
document from http://www.getty.edu/conservation/resources/valuesrpt.pdf)
Session 4 Tuesday, January 26: Heritage in Latin America.
• Evolution of the concept of heritage. Back to history and the formation of
Latin American nations
• Nation-building, identity and heritage.
• Politics in heritage. What part of the heritage? What portion of history?
Selection and omission of heritage.
Readings:
de la Torre, Marta, ed., 2002. Assessing the Values of Cultural Heritage:
Research Report. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute.
This is the complete document. You should read: Assessing Values in
Conservation Planning: Methodological Issues and Choices, Randall Mason, pp.5CHM in LA - Higueras
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30. And browse: Economic Valuation of Cultural Heritage: Evidence and
Prospects, Mourato and Mazzanti, pp.51-73.
Session 5 Tuesday, February 2: Three Pillars in CHM. Research. Conservation.
Consensus and advocacy.
• Evolution of research: excavation, documentation and interpretation.
• Evolution of technologies in preservation, in promotion, technology in
didactics.
• Conservation evolution: historical stage: museums as repositories, sites
rebuilt. Contemporary stage: changing roles of actors (museums, public
libraries, private collections).
• Handing out questions for mid-term essay.
Readings:
Scarpaci,Joseph L. 2004. The historical geography of the Spanish American
centro historico. In Plazas and Barrios : Heritage Tourism and Globalization in
the Latin American Centro Histórico, pp. 38-96. University of Arizona Press.
Scarpaci,Joseph L. 2004. The social construction of Latin American historic
districts. In Plazas and Barrios : Heritage Tourism and Globalization in the
Latin American Centro Histórico, pp. 120-147. University of Arizona Press.
Session 6 Tuesday, February 9: Our projects.
• How to focus on our topics. Outline for our papers.
• Essential issues in evaluating heritage.
• Preparation of “working” teams. Topics in the various fields of heritage
management.
• Our goals? Quality Standards "? Methodologies are preset?
• Discussion of the document for the preparation of the project and its
essential guidelines.
Definition of the outlines of the projects.
• Evaluation of the project terms with the SWOT analysis: strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the study.
• Philosophy and objectives. Beneficiaries.
• Participants of the team and work sequence.
• Expected results and impact of the project.
• Mid-term essay due.
Readings:
Benavides, O. Hugo. 2008. Archaeology, Globalization and the Nation:
Appropriating the Past in Ecuador. In Handbook of South American
Archaeology, Helaine Silverman and William H. Isbell eds., pp. 1063-1072. New
York, Springer.
Scarborough, Isabel. 2008. The Bennett Monolith: Archaeological Patrimony and
Cultural Restitution in Bolivia. In Handbook of South American Archaeology,
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Helaine Silverman and William H. Isbell eds., pp. 1089-1102. New York,
Springer.
February 15-26 Olympic Games break; classes cancelled
Session 7 Tuesday, March 2: Case studies I. LA and the WHC list. The other
monuments of LA’s cultural heritage.
• Creating spaces and territorial levels: the concept of cultural district.
• Quality standards and accreditation of museums and cultural centers.
• Cultural Marketing.
• Project Financing.
• Governance.
• Environmental impact assessments ... cultural impact assessments?
Readings:
Silverman, Helaine. 2005. Embodied Heritage, Identity Politics, and Tourism
In Anthropology & Humanism, 30/2: 141-155.
Silverman, Helaine. 2006. The Historic District of Cusco as an Open-Air Site
Museum. In Archaeological Site Museums in Latin America, edited by Helaine
Silverman, pp. 159-183. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
Session 8 Tuesday, March 9: Guests into the Arena of Heritage Management.
• Tourism, Globalization, Sustainability and Heritage.
• Economic trends over the last decade and the relation to heritage.
• Heritage Trust as well and its relationship to the market concept.
• Real and Virtual Spaces. Museums and spaces for education and promotion.
Readings:
Higueras, Alvaro. 2008. Cultural Heritage Management in Peru: Current and
Future Challenges. In Handbook of South American Archaeology, Helaine
Silverman and William H. Isbell eds., pp. 1073-1088. New York, Springer.
Gnecco, Cristóbal. 2008. Modernity and Politics in Colombian Archaeology. In
Handbook of South American Archaeology, Helaine Silverman and William H.
Isbell eds., pp. 1103-1114. New York, Springer.
Session 9 Tuesday, March 16. Case studies II. Master Plans.
The case studies will combine the reading of the progress reports, the UNESCO
reports on the management status of the sites (e.g.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274/documents/) and proposals for the
management of the sites (by government or non-governmental agencies).
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Case
Case
Case
Case
Case
study 1: Machu Picchu and the Urubamba Valley (Peru).
study 2: The Copan Valley (Honduras).
study 3: Monte Alban and the Oaxaca region (Mexico).
study 4: Habana Vieja (Cuba).
study 5: Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).
Readings: TBA
Session 10 Tuesday, March 23: Presentations & debate on issues raised by
students.
Session 11 Tuesday, March 30: Presentations & debate on issues raised by
students.
Session 12 Tuesday, April 6:
In the second part of the session, Rudy Reimer will be sharing with us his
experience in the management of cultural resources in BC. You will download
his article:
First Nations, Forestry, and the Transformation of Archaeological Practice in
British Columbia, Canada. Michael A. Klassen, Rick Budhwa, Rudy
Reimer/Yumks. Heritage Management Volume 2, Number 2 / Fall 2009.
Session 13 Tuesday, April 13: Local and International Perspective.
• Regional Programs Partnership. Andean Programs and the Andean Community.
• Andean Pact, OAS... political institutions addressing cultural issues.
• Comparison: Programs in the Mediterranean, multicultural, EUROMED.
• Promoting regional and local developments. An analysis of the legal situation
governing institutions against the estate.
• Papers due.
Session 14 Tuesday, April 20: Final exam.
The Course
This course surveys the panorama in cultural heritage management in the Latin
American region. The perspective of this course will be quite broad as we
try to define what constitutes cultural heritage in the region in comparison
and referring to other world cases. Our definition of cultural heritage will
be based on a very strong idea of social acceptance of the material features
that become cultural heritage, regardless of their antiquity. We will
consider heritage as an important ingredient in the making of a social
construction, where the creation of art and preservation of heritage is not
necessarily subject to strict market rules but serves other purposes, such
supporting a social construction, political network, nation building, or
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simply serving for the preservation of the art of the humanity, art from all
over the world that has reached a status beyond any appraisable value and
beyond borders.
This course examines the theme of Cultural Heritage Management and
multidisciplinary approach to the creation of projects dedicated to cultural
heritage, both tangible assets, movable and immovable type, one consisting
of artifacts and monuments, and intangible, consisting of craft traditions ,
arts and rituals.
Then we will refine this definition with the comments of the students on the
issue, using their experience with the buildings and monuments of cities in
their surroundings. Once the concept of cultural heritage is defined, we will
turn to the complexity of the field of cultural heritage management as it
aims to conserve, preserve and promote the heritage of a city or region.
At this stage we will review our case-studies through a lens of economic,
political and social influence the process of creating ideas and then making
decisions to institute a cultural policy, hence creating cultural heritage.
First, we will investigate the concepts and procedures for creating new
projects, to allocate resources and investment in research, conservation,
enhancement and promotion of cultural heritage from a political
perspective "from the top" (which comes from governments, boards,
directories...). Then, for comparative and practical purposes, consider also
the perspective "from below", a forum many times more dynamic in the
development of asset management, which takes place at the level of
communities or regions. The contrast between the two parts is very
important in both the benefits and detriments of each perspective may be
exclusionary in both practical and theoretical aspect.
The course will begin by addressing the issue of the economic, political and
social influence the process of creating ideas and then making decisions to
institute a cultural policy. First, investigate the concepts and procedures
for creating new projects, to allocate resources and investment in research,
conservation, enhancement and promotion of cultural heritage from a
political perspective "from the top" (which comes from governments,
boards, directories ...). Then, for comparative purposes, consider also the
perspective "from below", a forum many times more dynamic in the
development of asset management, which takes place at the level of
communities or regions. The contrast between the two is very important in
both the benefits and detriments of each perspective may be exclusionary
in both practical and theoretical aspect.
Three steps lead criteria for comparison, analysis and planning of cases of
cultural heritage management: experience, creativity and innovation. To
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these three criteria further add two important criteria that guide the three
previous ones, which are the teaching and information. These criteria, their
level correspond to the effect of "efficiency and utility, and ultimately
sustainability, which will be planning projects during the course.
Course Learning Objectives
1. Identify the key factors influencing the demand for visual and performing
arts as well as for the enjoyment of cultural heritage; analyze the impact of
changes in the dominant factors in consumption demand and farm gear.
2. Identify the key factors that influence production of the visual and
performing arts, as well as places to display and preserve cultural heritage;
3. Consider management and legal decisions that influence the markets in
the preservation of art and cultural heritage. We will try to determine why
there is an exhibition or an offer to certain visual arts and other non-sale;
analyze management decisions to offer a repertoire of performances in a
season; analyze the social decision to spend resources on preserving the
heritage monuments.
4. Delineate the characteristics of markets for the visual and performing
arts, as well as the difficulties in observing a market for cultural heritage,
explaining the pricing and then leave the decision on the visual and
performance art markets, and determining the fee for cultural heritage
sites.
5. Take a conviction, an economic discussion Economically-based public
support for arts and culture, whether its manifestations are helpful,
nonprofit, or efforts funded.
Requirements
Students enrolling this course should be interested in Latin American issues,
but not necessarily in anthropology and archaeology. The dynamics of the
class will improve with the participation of students from sociology,
economy or education programs, mostly because I foresee treating the
concept of Cultural Heritage as a very dynamic and socially-based feature
not restricted to the physical churches, archaeological sites or other
artifacts but the societies that house them. In the same vein, student’s
interest in different countries in Latin America will be a plus for the course.
While the contents of the sessions might concentrate in cases drawn from
the Andean region, in the big picture we will pursue comparative means to
assess the progress in the field of cultural heritage of countries in regional
groups (the Andean countries) with other regions such as the
Mediterranean.
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The proposed formal requirements for the course will be:
(1) One take-home essay that will be commented in one class (at midterm)
[factor .15].
(2) A short research paper (max. 10-12 pages without references) to be
completed for the penultimate class [factor .25].
(3) Sitting for a final set of essay questions, as a final exam. [factor .35].
(4) Participation in the class discussions [factor .25]. Attendance is important
to fulfill this requirement.
The research paper
Students in this course will have to prepare a research paper (having a
maximum of 12 double-spaced pages, including up to two pages of references
consulted ... the ideal length for the 15 minute presentation). The subject of
the research paper will be defined within the first five sessions of the course,
referring to the personal interests of students in certain academic subjects
related to the study of management of cultural heritage and the arts (ie a
study of these matters of a sociological, economic, educational, directive, or
policy). Namely accomplish the following steps:
1. Select a cultural resource or a cultural project (such as a theater, a museum
or an archaeological site, organizing a festival, creating a museum, an
archaeological park, or a gallery);
2. Give an assessment of the issue of financing and managing cultural resources
on watching the public's help, financial and academic;
3. Discuss how public aid has influenced the selection of exhibits, sale items,
the fee structure or operations;
4. Examine the impact of public support for resource development and cultural
activities and,
5. Determine critical ethical dilemmas introduced in art markets and cultural
resources in attempting to overcome the inefficiency and lack of market. In
selecting and describing a problem, students will demonstrate their ability to
(a) analyzing and determining the public policy for arts and cultural heritage,
and (b) communicating their analysis in clear and precise.
Readings
There will be no text book for this course. A diverse selection of book chapters
and journal articles, with mandatory and optional readings, will drastically
enhance the student’s perception of how cultural tangible and intangible
heritage is managed in Latin America. We will address general issues, historical
trajectories and legislation in the first part. The second part will concentrate
on case studies, both of single projects or multidisciplinary long-term projects
in the region.
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