Preservation and Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage

This master’s module offers a comprehensive and critical exploration of cultural heritage in the 21st century, positioning archaeology as both a creative and inherently destructive applied discipline. It examines the full trajectory from discovery to exhibition, reframing archaeological sites as museums and museums as active archaeological spaces, while emphasizing the urgency of preservation and safeguarding. The course introduces key concepts such as cultural heritage, authenticity, integrity, and cultural landscapes, alongside the evolution of preservation philosophies from monument-focused conservation to holistic landscape management. It situates heritage practice within international and national frameworks, including UNESCO conventions, while critically addressing the gap between global policies and local implementation.
Through thematic sessions, the module interrogates processes of destruction, decay, and restoration, highlighting philosophical and ethical dilemmas such as identity, ruination, and reconstruction. It also provides hands-on insight into advanced documentation and digital methods, including photogrammetry, remote sensing, and augmented reality. Special attention is given to urban, periurban, and rural heritage, as well as World Heritage Sites and cultural landscapes, exploring their management, threats, and socio-political dimensions. The module further addresses contested and endangered heritage, issues of repatriation, and the role of “heritage from below.” A strong emphasis is placed on community-based approaches, participatory practices, and the integration of local knowledge systems. Finally, the course engages with contemporary challenges such as climate change, mass tourism, sustainability, and the decolonisation of heritage, preparing students for critical, inclusive, and forward-thinking heritage practice.