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Critical and Contested Issues in Cultural Heritage unit (HGA601)

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Unit year 2027

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Introduction

Tasmania and Australia are rich in history and heritage. What gets presented and celebrated however is contested and challenged. This unit does not only introduce a critical reading of heritage, it offers tools and frameworks for participants to reflect and be cognizant of the challenges of presenting the past, and address difficult challenges in offering heritage to the community and to tourists. Being sensitive and balanced is necessary but what that means is contested. By addressing difficult issues, this unit provides guidance on how to create, formulate and mediate exciting and meaningful heritage experiences.

Field trip dates: 9-12 April 2024.

Summary

Unit name Critical and Contested Issues in Cultural Heritage
Unit code HGA601
Credit points 12.5
College/School Arts and Society
Humanities and Social Sciences
Discipline Sociology and Criminology
Coordinator Professor Can Seng Ooi
Delivered By University of Tasmania
Level Postgraduate

Sustainable Development Goals

The Unit Coordinator has identified that this unit aligns with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on the alignment of the unit with these goals.

Availability

Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify and explain the protocols, conventions and Acts of Parliament that underpin the development of cultural heritage tourism products.
  • Synthesise the current and future challenges for cultural heritage managers in a tourism context.
  • Critically evaluate options for managing cultural heritage experiences in a sensitive and ethical manner.
  • Effectively communicate the challenges of tourism growth in a chosen heritage site.

Fee Information

2027 fee information will be available in August.

Teaching

Teaching Pattern

The unit is taught face to face at Port Arthur Historic Site in an intensive and immersive block mode, over 4 days. Attendance is compulsory. Following the intensive block teaching, you will still be able to get assignment support, and will submit your assignments later in the semester.

AssessmentGroup oral presentation (15%)|Executive summary (30%)|Tourism Site Plan (55%)
TimetableView the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

Australia and Port Arthur

  • Australian Government, Australian Heritage Council. 2009. Guidelines for the Assessment of Places for the National Heritage List.  Canberra: Dept. of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Download
  • Australia International Council on Monuments and Sites. 2013. The Burra Charter. Download
  • Discover Tasmania. 2010. Your Guide to Tasmania’s World Heritage Convict Sites. Download.
  • Marta de La Torre (ed.) 2005. “"Port Arthur Historic Site", Heritage Values in Site Management - Four Case Studies. Los Angeles: Getty Trust Publications: Getty Conservation Institute. 116-159. Download book.

UNESCO

  • UNESCO. 2020. The World Heritage Convention. URL -
Recommended
  • Brouder, P.; Teoh, S.; Salazar, N.B.; Mostafanezhad, m.; Pung, J.M.; Lapointe, D.; Higgins Desbiolles, F.; Haywood, M.; Hall, C.M. and Balslev Clausen, H. 2020. ‘Reflections and discussions: tourism matters in the new normal post COVID-19, Tourism Geographies, DOI: 10.1080/14616688.2020.1770325. Link.
  • Sharma, G.D.; Thomas, A. and Paul, J. 2021. ‘Reviving tourism industry post-COVID-19: A resilience-based framework’, Tourism Management Perspectives, 37 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100786. Link.
  • Steele, J. et al., 2007 ‘The Archaeology of Conviction: Public Archaeology at Port Arthur Historic Site.’ In Jameson, J. & Baugher, S. (eds) Past Meets Present. New York: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-48216-3_4.
  • Steele, J., Harrington, J. and Vertigan, C. 2019. ‘Working with Communities and World Heritage Places: Local, Professional and Educational Communities and the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority’. In Jameson, J. & Musteata, S. (eds) Transforming Heritage Practice in the 21st Century: Contributions from Community Archaeology, Cham: Springer. 251-264. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-14327-5_18
  • UNESCO. 2020. Series. URL - https://whc.unesco.org/en/series/ (particularly reports 1, 35 & 40).
  • UNESCO. 2011. Preparing World Heritage Nominations. Link.

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