Contestation, Reinvention, and Regulation of Cultural Heritage Through Dissent

This book explores the concept of ‘dissent’ within the realm of art and cultural heritage through a rich and multidisciplinary lens. It investigates how dissent shapes the very definition of cultural heritage and the systems that govern cultural heritage, drawing primarily on social science perspectives. Combining methodologies from law and economics with insights from museology, art history, and postcolonial studies, the volume offers a unique perspective on how disagreement and contestation can redefine cultural value and authority.

The first part, “Dissent as Contestation,” starts from the observation that the very value of cultural heritage has always been contested. It focuses on cultural heritage found in public spaces, where the contestation over its value is exacerbated. This raises questions concerning, for example, the subjects called upon to finance the preservation of their own cultural heritage and the creation of new cultural activities and, therefore, the relationship between public and private actors. The role of dissent, moreover, can play a major role – now more than ever – in the re-interpretation of values traditionally attached to specific cultural objects.

The second part, “Dissent as Reinvention,” addresses dissent-related practices. Practices that, through episodes of conflict and contrast, manage to create new methods and new procedures for the governance of heritage and cultural activities. The chapters cover specific case studies dealing with local experiences or specific media of expression and explore how dissent can lead to paradigm shifts. Moreover, they consider whether and how certain institutional bodies, such as international organizations or local policymakers, have (or have not) put in place mechanisms to accommodate, listen to, and reflect possible episodes of dissent among relevant stakeholders.

The third part, “Dissent as Regulation,” focuses on issues concerning the regulation of the cultural and heritage sector. The chapters discuss how to adopt political or legal decisions when there is disagreement concerning different options. They explore at what level of the decision-making process dissent should be taken into consideration (or prevented) and which branch of power – legislative, executive, or judiciary – is most affected by issues concerning dissent.