As I was listening to the session on “A New Framework for Blended Conservation of the Built and Natural Environment” from PastForward 2020 (the US National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual conference), I was inspired to write this post. While the aim of the session was admirable, what I saw were people innately motivated to …
The International Committee on the Theory and Philosophy of Conservation and Restoration (Theophilos) is one of the more active scientific committees in ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). In the past I was involved the committee’s work, especially in contributing to its 2015 conference proceedings, although I have not been particularly active in the …
The Last Gasp of Traditional Theory in Preservation? Read More »
Recently, changes to the City of Denver’s Landmark Preservation Ordinance became effective to allow the designation of buildings and places that have “cultural significance.” This change is, in the words of the City, to increase “inclusion” in the landmarking process and “highlight Denver’s diversity.” While the aims of the amended ordinance are eminently laudable (especially …
Social justice issues come in many forms, including the disproportionate impact that the Covid-19 virus and police brutality have had on African American populations. The law can be both a friend, and often a foe, for achieving justice. In the case of police brutality, qualified immunity gives police immense discretionary power to engage in behavior …
How US law is the cause of social justice issues in historic preservation practice Read More »
In a recent study, Avrami et al. (2018), found 86% of the local historic preservation ordinances sampled across the United States are nearly 100% derivative of the standards for significance and historical integrity found in the federal National Register (NR) of Historic Places guidelines. In my own work, I’ve also found this to be the …
Local preservation ordinances: A one size fits all approach to social injustice Read More »
Erin Seekamp (NC State University), Sandra Fatorić (Delft University of Technology), and Allie McCreary (Western Kentucky University) just published “Historic Preservation Priorities for Climate Adaptation” in Ocean and Coastal Management that’s worth a close read. This is one of the only research papers that surveys “experts” and “community groups” to ascertain how their values overlap with climate change priorities …
Social justice and using heritage values to prioritize climate change decisions Read More »
The US-based National Trust for Historic Preservation is asking for input, via a survey on the “Challenges and Innovations Occurring in the Preservation Field.” The survey asks some very useful and relevant questions, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to post my response to a few of the questions here. The specific …
“Challenges and Innovations Occurring in the Preservation Field” Read More »
For many years, scholars have been criticizing the practice of historic preservation/built heritage conservation because of its over-reliance on art/historical facts and its reluctance to accommodate a more people-centered approach. To wit, Labrador and Silberman (2018, 5) advocate a new system in which a focus on “how authenticity is perceived [by the public] and what …
Creating Safe Places for Historic Preservation Practitioners to Think and Innovate Read More »
Second call for abstracts — special Collabra: Psychology research nexus Co-editors:Jeremy C. Wells, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland, College Park; jcwells@umd.edu.Daniel J. Levi, Ph.D., Professor, Psychology and Child Development, Cal Poly; dlevi@calpoly.edu.Erica Molinario, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park; molie@umd.edu. Abstract submission deadline: …
Call for abstracts: The Psychology of Heritage Places Read More »
Recently, Patrice Frey, President of the National Main Street Center, wrote a post on Citylab about “Why Historic Preservation Needs a New Approach.” While I very much agree with most of her points, there are many issues (and potential solutions) that she misses. First of all, I wholeheartedly agree with her claim that the field …
