SEMINAR: Archaeology Seminar Series

This talk addresses work I am doing for a new book that, as part of its thesis, investigates the utility of theorizations in political philosophy around diversity and redistribution for understanding the political power and consequences of heritage. The politics of recognition is an attempt to both explain and address ways of influencing post-1960’s transformations in the political landscape, and in particular the politics of identity claims. I argue that various ideas and expressions of heritage, including the way heritage is displayed in museums, may on the one hand be understood as implicated in the politics of recognition, and on the other hand contribute to understanding the nuances of struggles for recognition and redistribution not only in post-colonial but also other contexts and circumstances. I suggest that a consideration of the politics of recognition opens up new ways of evaluating and assessing the consequences and political impact of heritage that in turn requires a revaluation of the ethical and political responsibilities of heritage and museum professionals.