Heritage infrastructures: materialities, flows and exchanges
Anna Karla Almeida, 2025
International workshop – Call for participation
Heritage infrastructures: materialities, flows and exchanges
Infrastructures whether in material or immaterial sense increasingly shape the expression and nature of heritage. From new techniques or the revitalization of traditional buildings to tourist trails to visitor centres, the changing materialities, flows and exchanges in (un)planned remaking of heritage is often quite visible. However, the infrastructural dimension of heritage is arguably even more far-reaching; from new forms of digitalization, sustainability techniques and bureaucratization to changing politics, investment practices and new players shaping heritage practices and societal impacts. This workshop offers a space for rethinking the relationships between heritage and infrastructure(s) from international to local scales.
We consider the following research questions:
- What are the critical infrastructure trends affecting heritage from regional and global perspectives?
- How are infrastructure dynamics reshaping heritage practices? What new material flows, practices and infrastructure challenges characterize the heritage field?
- How are they tied into (less) visible value chains, competencies, and financial flows? What are the ideas, insights, and values enacted or enabled through new infrastructure techniques and practices?
- How is infrastructure being reconsidered in heritage policy and approaches (Nara, impact assessments)?
The workshop aims to explore such topics across multiple locations and regions. Organized by the EPFL Heritage, Anthropology and Technologies Research Group and the University of Geneva Heritage Lab, the workshop will take place at the Swiss Institute in Rome, bringing together anthropologists, cultural studies professionals, historians, architects, archaeologists, geographers, critical heritage studies specialists and policymakers.
Send your proposal:
Interested scholars are invited to submit a short abstract and title by April 18, 2025 to florence.graezerbideau@epfl.ch and peter.larsen@unige.ch.
When?
18-19 September 2025
• Day 1 – 18 September: 14:30 – 18:00, followed by a keynote lecture.
• Day 2 – 19 September: 9:30 – 16:00.
Where?
Istituto Svizzero Roma
Villa Maraini
Via Ludovisi 48, 00187, Roma
Co-organizers:
Florence Graezer Bideau (EPFL)
Peter Bille Larsen (UNIGE)
Nota Bene:
Meals during the workshop will be sponsored by the organizers.
A small number of participants may be hosted at the Institute, but this cannot be guaranteed for all.
Participants will finance their own travel and accommodation.