080108 UE Material and Intangible Cultural Heritage - and the Case of Vienna (2016S)

Content
The course will deal theoretically and experimentally with the relationship between material and intangible cultural heritage.
The material heritage, with the built and archaeological heritage as well as the assets of public museums and archives, is clearly defined. The declaration of what is ought to be preserved is relatively well comprehensible for the public. The management of the material heritage belongs to the traditional professions of art history.
In the course of the last 30 years however, the exclusive preservation of material heritage was considered insufficient. Within a global perspective it became evident that many, particularly non Western cultures see their most eminent objects of culture manifested in living, immaterial practices, such as rituals, music, storytelling, crafts or cooking. The difference between material and intangible heritage is not only of formal nature. In the indigenous movement it bears political relevance and questions traditional hegemonies of Western culture. Since the late 20th century the claims of intangible heritage are manifested in the tasks and means of UNESCO.
Deriving from the politicization of globally and nationally marginalized groups and cultures, the intangible heritage was soon recognized as a component of Western culture as well, which hitherto had not elaborated governmental means for the preservation of its intangible culture. At the same time the cultural heritage became increasingly commercialized. In a booming "heritage industry", the "threatened" and "marginalized" was subjected to new dangers of deformation and damage.

Method
In the course, there will first be gained a theoretical survey over the younger history of cultural heritage, its categories and practices. In a second step, we will analyse different forms and zones of cultural heritage, assets and practices in the region of Vienna, considering both assets that are officially safeguarded as well as assets without formal protection.
The comprehension and representation of various categories of cultural heritage will be obtained in an experimental way. We will especially deal with the relationship between material and intangible heritage and with practices closely related to the intangible heritage such as oral history and the digital heritage.
Along with presentations in the seminar room and guided tours and discussions organized by students in the public city space, we will train the preparation and moderating of discussions with invited representatives of specific institutions, as an important field of scientific practice.

Aims
The course aims at gaining a theoretical overview of the discussion of the material and intangible heritage, through studying scientific literature. Provided with these means of orientation and understanding, the group will specifically approach the situation of Vienna with different methods of investigation, research and discussion. The lecturer will report from his own practice in various projects. The students will analyse and present specific heritage zones of the city. They can approach individual initiatives or ethnic groups and analyse together with them their representation in the extant cultural heritage. They may also initiate, prepare and moderate discussions with professional representatives of the cultural heritage.