Is historic preservation relevant to the public and to experts, including scholars? Ever since I entered the field in 1998, my anecdotal experience has been that general interest in the field has been been on the decline, while, at the same time, people who are working in an area directly related to preservation policy (i.e., …
Historic preservation is dead. Long live (cultural) heritage preservation. Read More »
Earlier this year, as part of Lived Heritage Studies LLC, I successfully completed a project for the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Vermont (UVM) to help them create a “curricular vision” for their program. This project was catalyzed by UVM’s proposal, in 2020, to terminate many low-enrollment graduate programs, including the Historic Preservation …
A Curriculum Vision for the University of Vermont Read More »
Developing curricula for historic preservation degree programs (bachelor’s and master’s) can be a frustrating experience because we lack useful data on the job market (e.g., what employers want from graduates) and curriculum standards. In addition, the field has no certifying or accrediting body, so there is no regular discussion on curricular matters in the field. …
Skills, knowledge, and degrees/majors wanted by historic preservation employers Read More »
Recently, I was reading a post on LinkedIn where a World Heritage expert was attempting to define cultural heritage for the twenty-first century. Many people have tried to do this, especially in terms of World Heritage and state definitions of cultural heritage for use in the protection and inscription of built heritage. These are what …
The Rupture in Cultural Heritage Meanings: Where Are We Going? (Where Do We Want to Go?) Read More »
If you teach in an historic preservation or built heritage conservation program in a college or university, you may be aware that there are very few publications that directly address the pedagogical, curricular, and assessment needs of the field, especially from an international perspective. In fact, I would argue that until recently, there was no …
A few weeks ago, I attended the 7th National Forum on Preservation Practice hosted by Goucher College, which focused on the next 50 years of practice. One thing I’ve always liked about the National Forum is that it has a mix of both practitioners and academics, which helps to facilitate productive exchanges that otherwise would …
What will historic preservation look like in 50 years? Read More »
The argument that historic preservation (or, if you’re outside of the United States, architectural conservation or built heritage conservation) is or is not a unique discipline still comes up on occasion in print and in conferences, which is surprising considering that the first degree programs (Columbia University or the University of York, depending on your …
Why don’t we care about the public’s understanding of authenticity? Read More »
One of the common perceptions of the social sciences—e.g., perspectives from anthropology, sociology, and psychology—is that that they are too academic, too erudite, and not sufficiently applied to have direct benefit for most people who don’t work in institutions of higher education. Of course, many of you who are reading this blog know that this …
One of the researchers that is helping me with my work here in Brazil recently emailed me a course announcement from ANPUH (The National Association of History in Brazil). The course title is “Historical Research in Areas of Architecture and Heritage: Theory and Methods.” You can see the full advertisement for the course at the …
Are we ready for post-modern public and local history? Read More »
In the United States, several people have had an unusually large impact on the practice of historic preservation. James Marston Fitch created the first historic preservation degree program; Charles Peterson started the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS); W. Brown Morton, III was mostly responsible for writing the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards; and Pat Parker …
Fixing the Environmental Review Process and Section 106 Read More »
