What is European Identity?, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schmale
Diversity is one of Europe’s essential characteristics. This lecture deals with the question, what diversity actually mean in the context of “European Identity”. What does it mean for you and me? This lecture also focuses on further related questions: Do we really need an “European Identity”? Is this identity exclusive and does it supress other identities? Or is “European Identity” something that pushes us forward in a constructive way?
Intangible Heritage – Challenges, Instrumentalization, Potentials, Prof. Dr. Markus Tauschek
This lecture focuses on the social, political, cultural challenges that arise when culture becomes cultural heritage – in the meaning of the Critical Heritage Studies. Professor Tauschek will argue that the attribution “cultural heritage” is an extremely powerful instrument in many fields. He will also inquire on the effects of the process when something becomes cultural heritage.
Ambivalent Heritage. Dealing with Material and Immaterial Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Klaus Roth
In South-East Europe, preoccupation with – predominantly intangible – cultural heritage reaches back to the 19th century, the century of nation building. The importance of cultural heritage was strengthened in the decades of socialism and – after the transformation crisis in the 1990s – was embedded into international cultural policy in the 2000s, mainly as part of the UNESCO activities. All countries in South-East Europe show distinct ambivalence in social and political handling of material and especially intangible heritage, as well as constant alternation of appraisal of the historic expressiveness and its instrumental use for social, political-ideological and economic purposes. It was and is still proof of historic continuity and greatness, base for patriotism and nationalism, and also a way to foster the national image and tourism. Handling cultural heritage is characterized by multiple options – from preserving restauration to “imaginative reconstruction” and complete invention and construction of alleged national cultural heritage, just how Macedonia presented it to the world with its project “Skopje 2014”.
Intangible Cultural Heritage in Bulgaria – new trends and developments, Dr. Ana Luleva
The title “intangible cultural heritage” is an artificial construct. UNESCO has significantly contributed to the formation of this construct – as well as different national institutions and local groups. With the help of current examples from Bulgaria, the way “intangible cultural heritage” is applied and why it is applied, shall be explained. One example will be the so-called “Men’s round dance”, which is becoming more popular in Bulgaria nowadays. Dr. Ana Luleva will explain the background and analyse why the festival is a “true Bulgarian tradition”, why it is presented as cultural heritage and why people pursue to gain national and international appreciation (on UNESCO level) for it.
World Heritage Bread, Dr. Isabel Greschat
People started to cultivate grain 10,000 years ago in order to have bread. The results were the haves and the have-nots, towns and professions and soon 10 billion people on earth: the society we live in today would not exist without bread. Bread is a product of culture, maybe the first, apart from cave paintings and early figural sculptures: from the raw materials you can tell by no stretch of the imagination what they will be used for and they experience comprehensive transformation. This product of culture has influenced people all over the world and is therefore without any doubt a vital world heritage.
Where have all the Women gone. Women and Cultural Heritage, Petra Unger M.A. (Gender Studies and Feminist Research)
Art and cultural heritage are dominated by men and thus reflect the gender ratio in society. In this lecture, different examples from culture and art from the 19th century up until today are shown. Before these thoughts, the question arises of how a gender critical cultural and art education can be done. Different ways and places, such as women’s town tours, art exhibitions and museum work for gender-equitable cultural education will be discussed.