Call for Roundtable submissions, RSA 2022, Dublin: Heritagization & Religion in Early Modern Times

Heritagization & Religion in Early Modern Times:
Exploring the disciplinary crossroads between heritage, museums and history

Organized by Emodir, through Federico Barbierato (Università di Verona) and Helena Wangefelt Ström (Uppsala University)
-> Deadline 5 August
What happens when religion becomes heritage, when religious heritage is claimed by different groups with different aims, or when history, heritage studies, and religion intersect? Heritage politics, memorialization (and curated oblivion), and demands for a de-colonialization of the museums are just a few examples of how the field of heritage in recent years has attracted new interest and debates – in society and in academia.
Heritage studies scholars discuss how, by whom, and with what agenda heritage is produced from historical sources, often within anthropological or archaeological contexts. Museums as institutions are not only met with criticism for post-colonial narratives and demands on repatriation of artefacts, but claims are also being made on museums to take on a more active role in contemporary society debates, for example within ICOM (International Council of Museums). Given these premises, and regardless of etymology and terminology, we would here like to situate the production of heritage in a context of Early Modernity and religious dissent.
In this roundtable we invite scholars and museum or other heritage professionals from different disciplines to identify and discuss some key questions in the intersection between heritage (as a concept), heritagization (as a process), historiography, and sensitive religion such as religious dissent, oppressed beliefs, etc. Since heritage studies methodology is a field under development, and particularly so in a context of history and historical sources, an occasion to explore and suggest new and fruitful approaches, methodologies, and interdisciplinary collaborations could make a valuable starting point for further work in this field.
Contributors should, freely, adhere to this loosely formulated framework and, most importantly, aim to contribute to a productive discussion. Themes may address, but are not limited to, topics such as
– Transforming religion into heritage: identity building, fear of loss, control of dissent
– Organizing, categorizing, re-contextualizing religious artefacts and memories for new audiences
– Appropriating and/or transforming problematic religious heritage
– Strategic destruction of religious heritage
– Creating and/or using religious heritage within religious mission or international trade
– Cultual and cultural uses of religion in times of religious conflict
– Heritage methodology and historical sources

Anyone interested in submitting an abstract for consideration for this roundtable is kindly invited to do so no later than August 5 sending it to Federico Barbierato (federico.barbierato@univr.it) and Helena Wangefelt Ström (helena.wangefelt@abm.uu.se).

Proposals should include a short abstract with key ideas, theoretical starting points, and/or case studies to discuss (no longer than 150 words), and a brief academic CV (no longer than 300 words).