Concept Note of the Kolleg (CONT...)

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b) Main Themes and Hubs of the Kolleg

 

A deep and full understanding of CH require an interdisciplinary approach encompassing several fundamental, human and applied scientific fields. An interdisciplinary research brings technologies (physical, chemical, biological, biotechnology, nanotechnology) and expertise from closely related fields to face the problems of CH conservation and sustainability. Scholars from different fields of knowledge equipped with the diverse array of data of their respective fields can contribute to the analysis CH, and shape in the process new collaborations on CH problems, reciprocally enriching and challenging each field. The aim of the Kolleg is to discuss the contribution of interdisciplinary and interrelated sciences in CH research, its preservation and promotion, and the aim of reconstructing humanity's past to understand the evolution of human culture.

 

Definition and theoretical approaches (tangible and intangible; humanities vs. sciences), Management and Sustainability, status quo of research on ancient near eastern archaeology and languages, and scientific methods and practices that lead to better protect, safeguard and transmit CH to future generations, will constitute the main hubs of the Kolleg.

 

Topics that will be discussed include, but are not limited to:

1)    Policies, plans, management for conservation, preservation / safeguarding CH (tangible and intangible) towards sustainable development. 

2)    Scientific Methods and technologies in CH Research.

3)    Ancient Near Eastern archaeology, civilizations and languages.

4)    Information and communications technology and digital CH.

5)    Anthropology (Cultural and Physical).

6)    Intangible CH in the Changing World.

7)    CH, Museums and education.

8)    CH as a key to tourism.

9)    Epigraphic data and information technology.

10) CH in times of war. 

11) Changing Tradition - static Heritage: Local communities and CH.

12) The Legal framework of CH.

 

 

b) The Interconnection of CH with other fields

• CH Management: Managing assets of CH with an eye on conservation and sustainability require in the first place a process of identifying, interpreting, maintaining, and preserving cultural sites and physical heritage manifestations. Management instrumentalize archaeological, anthropological, historical and other disciplines with a specialized knowledge of documentation to conservation and management of heritage sites and objects. Intangible aspects of culture will be taken in consideration as well. Management could avert possible threats to CH, such as urban development, large-scale agriculture, mining activity, looting, erosion or unsustainable visitor-numbers.

 

• CH and Socio-economic Value: CH could become an economic development resource. It provides a strong development potential, with positive impact on employment, incomes and local and regional planning. The inclusion of CH resources in the overall economic and social life is guaranteed to generate income, benefit the overall economy, and help finance the preservation CH.

 

• CH and Technology: Included in this aspect is the scientific study of CH. As subfield of archaeological science, archaeometry covers a range of the physical and biological sciences with archaeology and art history, i.e. dating methods, artifact studies, mathematical methods, remote sensing techniques, conservation science and the study of man and his environment.

 

• The legal protection of CH, and CH in crisis: The abuse and destruction of CH as a result assuming under political  agendas poses a threat to it.  Although international law has developed a vast legal framework to protect CH, the reality shows that laws cannot stop those who hold the law in contemptuous disregard from abusing CH as they pursue their malicious ideologies. It is expected that international conventions should assist the enforcement of   protective measures on the local level to further safeguard CH, in addition to forging pathways for international cooperation. Plans, strategies and research efforts should define societal connections with CH technologies with the aim of saving CH threatened by war.

 

• Safeguarding intangible CH: Intangible CH is vital as individuals form their identity, and assume their roles in society. Globalization, commercialization, consumerism, technological progress, and urbanization sparked the World’s attention towards drawing strategies and plans for safeguarding intangible CH of the humanity; e.g. the 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible CH.

 

• CH and local communities: How can the community contribute to the protection CH? An exploration of the role of local communities in safeguarding CH is expected to be present in this discussion. Examining the relationships of local communities to their CH is key to measure the impact of local communities’ engagement on CH. Moreover, it is legitimate to ask the question whether local community’s participation in heritage management is rooted in the interest and desires to protect and conserve their local heritage assets or not.  In some cases, local community collaborative attitudes is often limited due to a limiting conceptualization of role the community in question is in the process of conservation. Local communities and government authorities must reach decisions bilaterally.

 

• CH vis. Anthropology: B offering a wider definition of the concepts of CH, anthropology provides us, richer and culturally more diverse concept of heritage, in which one can take into account the diversity and complexity of the society, valuing traditions, symbolic systems and cultural manifestations from all sectors.   Broadening of the concept of CH is crucial to the constitution of a society that values democracy, human rights, citizenship and memory.

 

• CH and cultural tourism: Heritage tourism is form of cultural tourism, and probably one the most important and ubiquitous tourism resource in the world. Heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing forms of tourism today. It becomes clear that management of heritage assets is vital not only to the development of the economy, but also to the development of culture.

 

• CH and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and social media: Information Technologies have offered CH new channels of communication between members of local communities and the outside world.  Dynamic and exciting, Information Technologies has opened up new possibilities to experience cultures and traditions through sense engaging means such virtual art exhibitions, 3D reconstructions of historical places, CH databases, Virtual museums,  Reviews on new technologies on art and restoration, methods and applications for measurement, Multilingual, Data Management, Archiving,  and much more. ICT can in fact be an effective and interactive way to teach CH younger generations. Developments in ICT have had particularly significant consequences in the field of epigraphy, where a vast array of possibilities for digital content fruition continues to reveal itself. Under this rubric, digital heritage can be tackled by exploring the benefits of social media in the service of preserving CH. Social Media can reframe our understanding and experience of heritage and reveal meanings, opinions and values. Social media is an ideal venue to reveal in which communities create and maintain their ties to their past. 

 

2. Objectives

The diverse topic of the Kolleg connects science and technology with a range of areas including humanities, history, anthropology, philology, and social sciences, etc.  It is an informed expert dialogue that assists in bridging the knowledge gaps in key areas and also to better understand the linkages among the human, natural, and life sciences to better understand CH, methods of conservation, preservation and safeguarding.  The Kolleg will include key-note speaker sessions, interactive panel discussions and question & answer sessions The Kolleg will attempt realize the following objectives:

a.    Enabling scholars from the region and abroad to address the complex issues surrounding the CH with the objective to promote national and regional innovative approaches towards conservation, preservation and safeguarding CH (both tangible and intangible) which contribute to sustainable development.

b. To facilitate exchange of experiences, lessons learned and good practices between experts on effective CH policies/approaches which promote identifying common perspectives, priorities and solutions at all levels.

c. Enhance information and knowledge on issues at the interface between human, natural, and life sciences in general, and establish the framework for CH development and its link to sustainable development.

d. Promote the exchange of experience on suitable policy approaches and policy tools to foster a wise and rational sustainable transmission of CH. Related to this is to elaborate relevant recommendations for the improvement of CH policies, taking into account the UNESCO standard-setting instruments and related strategic documents and conventions.

e. Discuss conceptual and practical opportunities for mitigating the factors threatening CH.

f. Discuss the role and implications of newly emerging standards and related sustainability standards for CH.

 

3. Expected Value-Addition of the Kolleg

a) Analysis of CH challenges and strategies and to what extent they have contributed to promote CH protection for sustainable development.

b) Exchange of experiences and lessons learned on effective protection and safeguarding policies and practices to promote CH  by contributing to sustainable development

c) Opportunity for stakeholder engagement – academic sector, i.e. universities, governments, civil society, UN system institutions and private sector

 

1. Participation

There is a wide range of scientific disciplines that interact to serve and understand CH. Therefore, scholars and scientists hailing from different specialties can be invited to contribute from their perspective. The Kolleg will be composed of the following participant’s categories:

a) Humboldtians in the fields of CH and related subfields / areas from Jordan and abroad.

b) Four German Professors in the field of CH and related subfields / areas.

c) Young scientists in the fields of CH and related subfields / areas from Jordan and abroad.

d) Other Researchers

 

1. Audience

The Kolleg aims to gather

1. Young scientists from the Jordanian universities as good discussants.

2. Jordanian Humboldt Alumni

3. Jordanian DAAD Alumni

4. Policy makers at the local level, especially from the concerned ministries of Antiquities and Tourism, and Culture.

5. Representatives of Jordanian academic institutions working in the field of CH. 

6. Among the invitees to the opening ceremony are Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Minister of Culture, Director General of the Department of Antiquities, HE the German Ambassador in Jordan, the DAAD representative in Jordan, and representatives of Jordanian academic institutions and foreign agencies that work in the field of CH, i.e. UNESCO Office, American Centre of Oriental Research, German Protestant Institute of Archaeology, Council for British Research in the Levant, Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo)

 

1. Expected Outputs

The outputs of the Kolleg are expected to include:

1. A Kolleg Report: a summary of key findings as well as key recommendations distilled from Kolleg papers and keynote speeches.

2. Publication of papers: Participants will be asked to submit their papers in a final version for publication in a Journal which will be defined in collaboration with the AvH Foundation. Another option is publishing the papers in proceedings book. Papers will be in both options subject of peer-reviewing. This publication finds a useful application in CH studies for academics, scholars, students and in defining strategic priorities for safeguarding CH..