Peter PRAXMARER
(Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland)
This paper wants to take a critical look at the creation, invention, mise-en-scène, use and abuse of cultural heritage (CH), asking inter alia the following questions:
Creation: who created a/o creates CH, for what reasons, with what intention?
Invention: how is CH identified, imagined, designated – in short “invented” –, following which rationale?
Mise-en-scène: how is CH presented, “marketed” and brought to the attention of the public, along which policy?
Use and Abuse: what are possible criteria for “good uses” and “abuses” of CH, who decides or should decide how to use CH, who is affected by such decisions, and how?
Method: In discussing the questions listed above, particular attention will be paid to the various stakeholders touched by, involved and interested in CH the “paradigmatic” links (theoretical, analytical and methodological) between current approaches to CH and (intercultural) communication research.
Format: Concise presentation of the arguments from a theoretical-analytical point of view, as well as in a more practice-oriented perspective (e.g. examples of “best practices”, “lessons learnt”); discussion; incorporation of input of participants, particularly regarding the practice-oriented aspects.
Objective: To show and illustrate how “uncertainty” not only permeates the artifacts of the past, but is also inherent in our interpretation of the past, exemplified by our looking at, understanding of, and use of CH.
Keywords: cultural heritage, uncertainty, creation, invention, mise-en-scène, use and abuse, stakeholders, (intercultural) communication