Mapping Heritage in Conflict

FaculteitFaculty of Humanities

NiveauBachelor

Studiejaar2026-2027

Beschrijving

Course goals

Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Gain an overview of key concepts and theories related to cultural heritage, identity, and conflict grounded in maps.
Engage in interdisciplinary methods to analyze maps and mapping in terms of their role in cultural memory and heritage from diverse perspectives (e.g., architecture, art history, history, literary studies, media, museology).
Understand the role of heritage in identity formation and memory in cultural, social, and political contexts.
Analyze the effects of conflict on tangible and intangible heritage, including the role of international law and heritage organizations.
Develop skills in analyzing heritage-related debates in contemporary politics, cultures, and societies.
Critically engage with objects and texts through close reading, written analysis, and discussion of primary and secondary sources.
Actively listen, provide feedback, collaborate, and present with peers.

Content

“I like maps, because they lie,” written by the Polish poet and 1996 Nobel Prize laureate Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012) brings the complexities of maps into sharp relief. Mapping Heritage in Conflict explores the multifaceted relationship between cultural heritage, identity, and conflict and how maps and mapping bring them forth.

This interdisciplinary course investigates how artistic, cultural, historical, literary, media and religious heritage can contribute to or mitigate conflict in both contemporary and historical contexts. Students will focus on discourses of power, resistance, identity, and memory within conflict zones drawing on maps and mapping as their object of analysis. By critically examining key theories and methods, students will gain insights into the protection, preservation, and reconstruction of cultural heritage during and after conflicts. The course also delves into the ethical challenges of heritage management and conservation while exploring its potential for future-making in societies. The course will take the students’ focus and background into consideration.

Offering education and training in an interdisciplinary manner, this course is open to all students.

Please note:

In addition to lectures and seminars, the course will include workshops, for instance, at the Art Lab, Lili’s Proto Lab, or Special Collections of the University Library. These sessions will involve hands-on projects and group work directly engaging with case studies.
This course includes field trips to museums, heritage sites, and institutions to explore how they are taking part in heritage preservation. Please note that the entrance and travel costs should be covered by the student.

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