Books by Dacia Viejo Rose
The reconstruction of society after conflict is complex and multifaceted. This book investigates ... more The reconstruction of society after conflict is complex and multifaceted. This book investigates this theme as it relates to cultural heritage through a number of case studies relating to European wars since 1864. The case studies show in detail how buildings, landscapes, and monuments become important agents in post-conflict reconstruction, as well as how their meanings change and how they become sites of competition over historical narratives and claims. Looking at iconic and lesser-known sites, this book connects broad theoretical discussions of reconstruction and memorialisation to specific physical places, and in the process it traces shifts in their meanings over time. This book identifies common threads and investigates their wider implications. It explores the relationship between cultural heritage and international conflict, paying close attention to the long aftermaths of acts of destruction and reconstruction and making important contributions through the use of new empirical evidence and critical theory.
This book explores the role of cultural heritage in post-conflict reconstruction, whether as a mo... more This book explores the role of cultural heritage in post-conflict reconstruction, whether as a motor for the prolongation of violence or as a resource for building reconciliation. The research was driven by two main goals: first, to understand the post-conflict reconstruction process in terms of cultural heritage, and second, to identify how this process evolves in the medium term and the impact it has on society. The Spanish Civil War (1936–39) and its subsequent phases of reconstruction provides the primary material for this exploration.
… In pursuit of the first goal, the book centers on the material practices and rhetorical strategies developed around cultural heritage in post-civil war Spain and the victorious Franco regime’s reconstruction. The analysis seeks to capture a discursively complex set of practices that made up the reconstruction and in which a variety of Spanish heritage sites were claimed, rebuilt or restored and represented in various ways as signs of historical narratives, political legitimacy and group identity. The reconstruction of the town of Gernika is a particularly emblematic instance of destruction and a significant symbol within the Basque regions of Spain as well as internationally. By examining Gernika it is possible to identify some of the trends common to the reconstruction as a whole along with those aspects that pertain to its singular symbolic resonance. In order to achieve the second goal, the processes of selection, value change and exclusionary dynamics of reconstruction and the responses it elicits are examined. Exploring the possible impact of post-civil war reconstruction in the medium term is conducted in two time frames: the period of political transition that followed General Franco’s death in 1975; and the period 2004–2008, when Rodríguez Zapatero’s government undertook initiatives to ‘recover the historic memory’ of the war and dictatorship.
… Finally, the observations made of the Spanish reconstruction are analyzed in terms of how they might reveal general trends in post-conflict reconstruction processes in relation to cultural heritage. These insights are pertinent to the situations in Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Book Chapters by Dacia Viejo Rose
Normer l'Oubli, 2018
"Les textes réunis dans cet ouvrage interdisciplinaire posent des jalons pour analyser les parcou... more "Les textes réunis dans cet ouvrage interdisciplinaire posent des jalons pour analyser les parcours, spontanés ou contraints, de l'oubli et explorer les asymétries entre mémoire et oubli, les deux notions n'étant pas le miroir l'une de l'autre."
The Impact of Conflict on Cultural Heritage: A Biographical Lens
Biographies of Place, 2015
Something Old, Something New: The Materiality of Tradition and Power in the Post–Civil War Reconstruction of Gernika’s Foru Plaza
Biographies of Place, 2015
The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Heritage Research. In E. Waterton and S. Watson (eds). Bas... more The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Heritage Research. In E. Waterton and S. Watson (eds). Basingstoke & NY: Palgrave McMillan.
Patrimonio cultural armado: La violencia cultural y simbólica
in: Lugares de represión, paisajes de la memoria. Carmen Ortíz (ed), 2013
Identité et mémoire d'après-guerre: la destruction et la reconstruction du patrimoine culturel en Espagne et en Bosnie
Le patrimoine culturel, cible des conflits armés. De la guerre civile espagnole aux guerres du 21e siècle, 2014
Conflict and the Deliberate Destruction of Cultural Heritage
Cultures and Globalization: Conflicts and Tensions, 2007
"Analyzing the relationship between globalization and cultures is the core objective of this volu... more "Analyzing the relationship between globalization and cultures is the core objective of this volume. In it leading experts track cultural trends in all regions of the world, covering issues ranging from the role of cultural difference in politics and governance to heritage conservation, artistic expression, and the cultural industries. The book also includes a data section that consolidates the recently commenced but still inchoate work of cultural indicators.
My chapter is entitled: "Conflict and the Deliberate Destruction of Cultural Heritage".
"Contemporary conflicts are increasingly imbued with cultural references and claims to particular cultural identities and histories. While cultural differences are not the cause for conflicts, cultural rhetoric is affecting our perceptions of the place of culture in relations between countries. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent, the need for communication and mutual understanding is greater than ever and yet culture is being used as a barrier rather than a facilitator in this process. This has a direct impact on the fate of cultural heritage which becomes a target for destruction and a hostage to fortune. This chapter looks at some of the ways in which cultural heritage is targeted, destroyed and reconstructed as a result of the confluence of current trends in conflicts and globalization. ""
Destruction and Reconstruction of Heritage: Impacts on Memory and Identity
Heritage, Memory & Identity, 2011
Journal Articles + by Dacia Viejo Rose
Shifting the paradigm on cultural property and heritage in international law and armed conflict: time to talk about reparations?
International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2019
Armed conflict has traditionally seen the targeting and destruction of cultural property and heri... more Armed conflict has traditionally seen the targeting and destruction of cultural property and heritage from antiquity to modern conflicts in Syria. Despite the cultural connection between such objects and traditions with people, international law has concentrated on its preservation, prosecution and punishment, rather than reparations for the loss or damage. This article highlights the growing jurisprudence and state practice which suggests a need to rethink this traditional approach and develop a framework for ensuring reparations for damage and destruction caused to cultural property and heritage. This is not only to undo the harm as far as possible, but to ensure the legacy of such culture for future generations. We take a socio-legal approach to these issues drawing from our backgrounds in transitional justice, archaeology and law, to suggest a thicker and contextually relevant approach to reparations, appreciating the reproduction or rehabilitation of culture carries its own meaning and post-conflict societies often convey the violence of the past into the meta-conflict in law and politics of the present. That said, we argue that reparations can play an important role, drawing from human rights law and heritage studies, to remedy the loss to cultural heritage that can more effectively benefit such victims.
In Carroll, Khadija von Zinnenburg (ed), The importance of being anachronistic: contemporary Abor... more In Carroll, Khadija von Zinnenburg (ed), The importance of being anachronistic: contemporary Aboriginal art and museum reparations, published by Discipline in association with Third Text Publications: Melbourne, Victoria, pp.103-130.
Cultural heritage and memory: untangling the ties that bind
Today in heritage studies memory looms larger than ever, there are memory parks, memory politics,... more Today in heritage studies memory looms larger than ever, there are memory parks, memory politics, and memory wars, there is discussion of ‘dissonant’, ‘dark’, and ‘difficult’ heritage linked to memories of traumatic past events. But what to we mean when we use the word ‘memory’ in the field of heritage? How is the divide between its social and individual realms bridged? This article theorizes the intimate relationship between heritage and memory by focusing on three areas. First, it maps out the vocabulary that has emerged from the heritage-memory dyad including how notions of collective memory and lieux de mémoire have been used, and occasionally misused, as well as the metaphors employed in the process. Second, the emergence of memory studies is considered, providing a brief overview of its foundations as well as assessing how it differs from, overlaps with, and contributes to heritage research. A third section offers a brief review of recent developments in cognitive psychology, neuroscience,
and evolutionary biology relating to memory and how this might inform heritage studies. The concluding discussion
provides a synthesis of the theoretical and empirical contribution of memory research to furthering out understanding of cultural heritage and proposes directions for future work on the area of confluence between the two.
Cultural Heritage Management and Armed Conflict
Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology , 2014
Cultural heritage and armed conflict are two domains that sit uncomfortably side by side and yet ... more Cultural heritage and armed conflict are two domains that sit uncomfortably side by side and yet are irrevocably linked. In the violent and volatile circumstances that characterize armed conflict, cultural heritage is often caught in the cross fire: deliberately targeted, looted, vandalized, its ownership contested, and its meanings reinterpreted by confronted sides. Recent conflicts have also shown how cultural heritage can be instrumentalized in order to drive cleavages between communities. Cultural heritage sites have been taken hostage, employed as bargaining chips, or their destruction used to send intimidating messages. It is not surprising then that the management of cultural heritage during armed conflicts poses a considerable challenge.
Memorial functions: Intent, impact and the right to remember
Studying memorial practice offers a revealing vantage point into changes in attitudes towards the... more Studying memorial practice offers a revealing vantage point into changes in attitudes towards the past and with observers referring to ‘memorial mania’ it is an opportune moment to do so. Two main lines of questioning regarding contemporary memorial practices are addressed here. The first looks at memorial functions and intentions. The second examines some of their social and political impacts. The final part of the article analyses some of the consequences of these impacts for citizenship: notions of victimhood and silencing. The main case study is the evolution of memorial practice in Spain since the Civil War (1936–39) this is set off against examples from other places. The conclusion that emerges is that predominant memorial practices are far more despotic than democratic in their injunction to recall a specific narrative of events and trying to steer a paradigm shift towards democratic memorial practices raises questions about civic rights and duties towards the past.
Reconstructing Heritage in the Aftermath of Civil War: Re-Visioning the Nation and the Implications of International Involvement
Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, 2013
Culture is an indispensable asset in post-conflict recovery processes; however, it can also be us... more Culture is an indispensable asset in post-conflict recovery processes; however, it can also be used as a means of continuing violence on a symbolic and ideological level, particularly in the case of civil wars. In a reconstruction paradigm this violence often takes the form of struggles over history, memory, heritage, and identity. Despite the context-specific differences of conflicts, their aftermaths do retain some common elements—such as an emphasis on re-envisioning history and re-defining national identity. This article examines three issues: the intentionality guiding choices about what to rebuild, the symbolic landscape that emerges as a result, and the ethical issues that arise from third party intervention in the reconstruction of cultural heritage. The rhetoric that surrounds reconstruction projects differs widely from the reality on the ground and I will argue that it is important to understand this in order to assess the impact that reconstruction can have on attempts at reconciliation, identity and state-building. This article also examines some of the ethical issues involved in the post-conflict reconstruction of cultural heritage including the role of international values associated to ‘heritage of mankind’ and their possible conflict with local valuations of cultural heritage. This area of study is becoming increasingly urgent. International organizations have escalated their involvement in post-conflict reconstruction work and in these interventions they impress their particular code of values on fragile societies often without a full appreciation of the possible long-term consequences of their actions.
El patrimonio cultural: ¿potenciador de diálogo y sentido unificador o de desencuentro y violencia?
Revista ph 85, Apr 2014
Conference Report: Tangible-Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Sustainable Dichotomy? the 7 Th Annual Cambridge Heritage Seminar
Institute for Archaeological Research …, 2006
Nearly a decade ago the Cambridge Heritage Seminars (CHS) began meeting at Cambridge University, ... more Nearly a decade ago the Cambridge Heritage Seminars (CHS) began meeting at Cambridge University, creating a forum for discussing ideas, questions, and case studies arising from working with, or studying, cultural heritage, itself a nascent field. From their start the Seminars proved to be fruitful venues for conversation, and through the events themselves and their subsequent publications, have garnered a great deal of interest and comment over many different disciplines.
Cultural Destruction
This entry outlines the various ways to understand the idea of 'cultural destruction' in the cont... more This entry outlines the various ways to understand the idea of 'cultural destruction' in the context of Globalization.
Artistic Activisim in Situations of Extreme Conflicts: Evaluation in Humanitarian Arts Projects
This dossier was commissioned by IETM in order to help artists and cultural operators involved in... more This dossier was commissioned by IETM in order to help artists and cultural operators involved in artistic activities in situations of extreme conflict, look at their own work with an evaluative eye.It presents three case studies of arts applied to situation of severe conflicts, as well as an outline of evaluation systems of humanitarian art actions.
It was edited by Y. Raj Isar (with contributions by Kristina Hellqvist and Dacia Viejo Rose), and the outcome of the study were presented during the IETM Plenary Meeting in Birmingham, in 2003.
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Books by Dacia Viejo Rose
… In pursuit of the first goal, the book centers on the material practices and rhetorical strategies developed around cultural heritage in post-civil war Spain and the victorious Franco regime’s reconstruction. The analysis seeks to capture a discursively complex set of practices that made up the reconstruction and in which a variety of Spanish heritage sites were claimed, rebuilt or restored and represented in various ways as signs of historical narratives, political legitimacy and group identity. The reconstruction of the town of Gernika is a particularly emblematic instance of destruction and a significant symbol within the Basque regions of Spain as well as internationally. By examining Gernika it is possible to identify some of the trends common to the reconstruction as a whole along with those aspects that pertain to its singular symbolic resonance. In order to achieve the second goal, the processes of selection, value change and exclusionary dynamics of reconstruction and the responses it elicits are examined. Exploring the possible impact of post-civil war reconstruction in the medium term is conducted in two time frames: the period of political transition that followed General Franco’s death in 1975; and the period 2004–2008, when Rodríguez Zapatero’s government undertook initiatives to ‘recover the historic memory’ of the war and dictatorship.
… Finally, the observations made of the Spanish reconstruction are analyzed in terms of how they might reveal general trends in post-conflict reconstruction processes in relation to cultural heritage. These insights are pertinent to the situations in Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Book Chapters by Dacia Viejo Rose
My chapter is entitled: "Conflict and the Deliberate Destruction of Cultural Heritage".
"Contemporary conflicts are increasingly imbued with cultural references and claims to particular cultural identities and histories. While cultural differences are not the cause for conflicts, cultural rhetoric is affecting our perceptions of the place of culture in relations between countries. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent, the need for communication and mutual understanding is greater than ever and yet culture is being used as a barrier rather than a facilitator in this process. This has a direct impact on the fate of cultural heritage which becomes a target for destruction and a hostage to fortune. This chapter looks at some of the ways in which cultural heritage is targeted, destroyed and reconstructed as a result of the confluence of current trends in conflicts and globalization. ""
Journal Articles + by Dacia Viejo Rose
and evolutionary biology relating to memory and how this might inform heritage studies. The concluding discussion
provides a synthesis of the theoretical and empirical contribution of memory research to furthering out understanding of cultural heritage and proposes directions for future work on the area of confluence between the two.
It was edited by Y. Raj Isar (with contributions by Kristina Hellqvist and Dacia Viejo Rose), and the outcome of the study were presented during the IETM Plenary Meeting in Birmingham, in 2003.