Dr Dacia Viejo Rose
- Director - Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
- Associate Professor in Heritage and the Politics of the Past
- Director of Studies & Fellow - Selwyn College
- Director of Studies - Downing College
Contact
Location
- McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
- Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ
About
My research interests lie in the nexus between cultural heritage and the political uses of the past. At the moment my work focuses on how cultural heritage can be a vector for violence both as a target and instrument - including dynamics threat, fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and risk. I am especially interested in how cultural heritage is used, and abused, during armed conflicts to divide, exclude, and intimidate. The motivation behind this line of questioning is to try and discover potential mechanisms for ‘disarming’ heritage so that it can be a tool for constructive dialogue, dignity, and respect. More recently, I have been working on assessing the harm done by attacks on cultural heritage and how a nuanced understanding of this might inform measures of repair. This line of research has led me to investigate recent developments at the International Criminal Court and work by the Trust Fund for Victims.
Coming out of, and feeding into, this main line of my research are others such as trying to understand how developments in the neuroscience of memory might be applied to heritage studies, heritage ecologies, and how our perception of risk informs our valuation of heritage.
I regularly collaborate with NGOs and international organisations on matters of cultural heritage, its uses and interpretation, especially as they relate to conflict and humanitarian interventions.
Research
My research interests lie at the nexus between cultural heritage and the politics of the past. At the moment my work focuses on violence - including dynamics threat, fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and risk. I am especially interested in how cultural heritage is used, and abused, during armed conflicts to divide, exclude, and intimidate. The motivation behind this line of questioning is to try and discover potential mechanisms for ‘disarming’ heritage so that it can be a tool for constructive dialogue, dignity, and respect.
Coming out of, and feeding into, this main line of my research are others such as trying to understand how developments in the neuroscience of memory might be applied to heritage studies, and the relationship between cultural and natural heritage.
Until now, the study of the destruction of cultural heritage during wars has focused on the material damage suffered by sites or on the looting of objects. This focus on material destruction has overlooked what might be underlying this form of violence. The proposed research project will further develop the theory of ‘cultural violence’, applying it to violent acts against cultural heritage. It is hoped that the insights gained from this work will help inform national policies more likely to strengthen plural societies. On an international level this research could help develop practical tools for agencies working on post-conflict reconstruction projects and strengthen measures for protecting heritage sites during conflicts.