skip to content

Cambridge Heritage Research Centre

 

 

The Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which was passed by UNESCO in 2003, formalised a distinction between a heritage that is tangible in its materiality and another form of heritage that is about skills, crafts and knowledge. This distinction has caused considerable debate, in regards to legal instruments, recognition, preservation and impacts. Within this debate we aim to contribute to research that investigates the rationales and repercussions of this distinction, and to critically consider the implicit assumption that the distinction is universally relevant. We are particularly interested in exploring the nature of intangible heritage, its malleability and change. To this end we focus on the tensions between different forms of living heritage and the impact of heritage nomination – what factors influence whether the latter results in fossilisation of heritage or whether the ’intangible heritage’ will survive its nomination? Intangible heritage takes many different forms, all of which raise particular intellectual and social challenges. In our immediate research objectives we focus on so-called ‘heritage-language’ and on food heritage. Both are integral to how communities maintain distinctiveness; they are transmitted between generations, can travel, and are essentially performative forms of heritage. Yet, they can also be malleable and adaptive. They, therefore, raise fundamental questions about authenticity and how change can be absorbed or, alternatively, be disruptive of social cohesion. In doing so this research may challenge some of the presumptions embedded within the philosophy of the tangible-intangible distinction.


Dr Paul  Anderson
Partner, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
University Senior Lecturer in Middle Eastern Studies
Assistant Director, HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies
 Oliver  Antczak
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Indigenous Studies Discussion Group, Founder/Convener
PhD Student in Archaeology
A profile photo of CHRC Graduate Member, Josh Bland
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
 Margaret  Comer
Postdoctoral Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
A profile photo of CHRC Graduate Member, Leanne Daly
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
Dr Shailaja  Fennell
Deputy Director, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Professor in Regional Transformation and Economic Security, Department of Land Economy
01223 764048
Dr Yannis  Galanakis
Partner, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Associate Professor in Classics (Classical Art & Archaeology)
Director, Museum of Classical Archaeology
Director of Archives
01223 338879
Prof Loraine  Gelsthorpe
Partner, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Director of The Institute of Criminology
Professor in Criminology and Criminal Justice
01223 335369
A profile photo of CHRC Graduate Member, Kieran Gleave
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
A profile photo of CHRC Member, Dr Rachel Kiddey
Partner, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Teaching Associate, Department of Archaeology
Prof Paul  Lane
Partner, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer Professor of the Deep History and Archaeology of Africa
A profile photo of CHRC Graduate Member, Shiting Lin
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
Member of the Yangshao Culture: 100 Year Research History and Heritage Impact project
A profile photo of CHRC Graduate Member,  Stanley Onyemechalu
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
Dr  Andreas  Pantazatos
Partner, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Assistant Professor in Heritage Studies, Department of Archaeology
 Mariana   Pinto Leitão Pereira
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
PhD title: The significance of heritage in dispersed communities: Portuguese and Macanese as a case study
Heritage and Colonialism Discussion Group, Founder/Convener
 Kim Eileen Ruf
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
PhD Title: (Re)use and valuation of historic buildings - a comparison between the AHD and private individuals
A profile photo of CHRC Postdoctoral Member, Dr Alisa Santikarn
Postdoctoral Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Prof Marie Louise Stig  Sorensen
Director Emeritus, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Emeritus Professor of European Prehistory and Heritage Studies, Department of Archaeology
01223 333522
A profile photo of CHRC Graduate Member, Isavella Voulgareli
Graduate Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
PhD Student in Archaeology
Profile Picture of Dr Camille Westmont
Postdoctoral Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow (UKRI-funded), McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
Dr Guohua  Yang
Postdoctoral Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Senior Research Associate, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
Co-Principal Investigator, Yangshao Culture: 100 Year Research History and Heritage Impact Project
Fellow, Cambridge Philosophical Society
Fellow, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland
A profile photo of CHRC Postdoctoral Member, Dr Rouran Zhang
Postdoctoral Member, Cambridge Heritage Research Centre
Research Associate