TY - JOUR
T1 - Conceptualizing a Methodology for Cultural Heritage Futures
T2 - Using Futurist Hindsight to Make ‘Known Unknowns’ Knowable
AU - Spennemann, Dirk H.R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the author.
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - In a broad conceptual framing, cultural heritage is the result of humankind’s interactions with their environment and one another, both in its tangible and intangible expressions. Cultural heritage management is by nature a retrospective discipline, as the assessment and evaluation of cultural significance of heritage assets requires the passage of time. Practitioners often struggle with the evaluation and management of very modern and contemporary heritage items. There is a need to examine whether current approaches and practices are fit for purpose. Current cultural heritage theory abounds with the concept of heritage stewardship with the embedded futurist stance that we should hand on our heritage in good shape to the next generation, yet all approaches are retrospective and rooted in the values of the present. This paper examines to what extent stewardship, as well as two other futurist concepts, the precautionary principle and strategic foresight, are suitable tools for heritage management. Based on that review, this paper then conceptualizes and proposes an assessment model that positions the valuer into a strategic foresight-derived, modelled future ‘reality’ at a 15 to 30-year horizon, which then allows the valuer to apply standard heritage hindsight assessment methodology to contemporary heritage items.
AB - In a broad conceptual framing, cultural heritage is the result of humankind’s interactions with their environment and one another, both in its tangible and intangible expressions. Cultural heritage management is by nature a retrospective discipline, as the assessment and evaluation of cultural significance of heritage assets requires the passage of time. Practitioners often struggle with the evaluation and management of very modern and contemporary heritage items. There is a need to examine whether current approaches and practices are fit for purpose. Current cultural heritage theory abounds with the concept of heritage stewardship with the embedded futurist stance that we should hand on our heritage in good shape to the next generation, yet all approaches are retrospective and rooted in the values of the present. This paper examines to what extent stewardship, as well as two other futurist concepts, the precautionary principle and strategic foresight, are suitable tools for heritage management. Based on that review, this paper then conceptualizes and proposes an assessment model that positions the valuer into a strategic foresight-derived, modelled future ‘reality’ at a 15 to 30-year horizon, which then allows the valuer to apply standard heritage hindsight assessment methodology to contemporary heritage items.
KW - cultural heritage management
KW - environmental ethics
KW - future studies
KW - heritage futures
KW - modern architecture
KW - precautionary principle
KW - stewardship
KW - strategic foresight
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146808985&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.3390/heritage6010029
DO - 10.3390/heritage6010029
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85146808985
SN - 2571-9408
VL - 6
SP - 548
EP - 566
JO - Heritage
JF - Heritage
IS - 1
ER -