Research Tandems Culture Wars: Battles over cultural heritage
The tandem project aims at the systematic conception, theoretical development and empirical investigation of various processes of obscuring cultural heritage. We understand “obscuration” as an intersubjective process of rethinking, changing perspectives and reinterpreting the factual validity, emotional impact and political-normative hegemonic position of cultural assets: what once “shone” brightly becomes dark heritage in the course of obscuration.
Project description
Using a four-stage dynamic negotiation process in which social actors in (rival) curatorial cultures argue about processes of consecration and symbolisation, we examine processes of cultural obscuration in three areas of society:
- in the discourse on marriage and family law,
- in the debate on monetary policy heritage, and
- in the curation of literary prizes.
By comparatively analysing speech acts and practices of action as mechanisms of obscuration processes in different curatorial cultures, we aim to contribute to explaining the success, suspension or failure of the respective attempts at obscuration and, at the same time, to advance theoretical model development. Based on the central themes (decision-making processes, dynamics, dark heritage, conflict/identity) of the flagship initiative ‘Transforming Cultural Heritage’, the project will work in its second phase towards a more rigorous focus on the structural similarities and respective specifics of obscuring processes in different areas of society.
