A path well worn? Approaches for the old problem of heritage destruction

González, A; Cunliffe, E; Saldin, M

doi:10.4324/9781003131069-1

A path well worn? Approaches for the old problem of heritage destruction

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Antonio Gonzalez ORCiD, Dr Emma Cunliffe ORCiD

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Abstract

Heritage destruction is not a new phenomenon. The destruction of symbols of the identity of the Other has long been a prevalent feature of warfare and civil unrest, as has the more subtle and insidious erasure as part of development, alongside the unintentional but often instantaneous and devastating loss from disasters. Today, communities also face heritage destruction from climate change. As the global population increases and technology advances, heritage is lost on a global level at a catastrophic rate. Heritage destruction sits in a multi-disciplinary nexus where each field has something to contribute, but scholars, just as much as their students, approach the phenomenon from their own specialisms, finding their own way through the field. Media, governments, and international organisations rarely include the voices of the local community in their communiques, except when the aftermath of heritage destruction becomes a Public Relations exercise.