A strong positivist tradition, internal armed conflict, the enduring search for a national identity, and desire for economic growth have influenced academic and practical approaches to cultural heritage in Peru. The International Conference Peruvian Heritage Ruptures? Local, State and Regional Approaches aims to analyze the complex and unbalanced interactions between economic development, tourism, academic research activity, sustainable management and conservation of heritage, and the basic needs of citizens—as well as their access to cultural rights in Peru. These relationships will be analyzed from interdisciplinary perspectives drawing from archaeology, anthropology, history, and Latin American studies, and discussed in comparison with Latin America and the world at large.

Approaches to Peruvian cultural heritage have been divided between academic and empirical. A few specialized studies have considered the intervention of non-specialists as decisive actors in the conservation of heritage and, sometimes even their roles studying the material culture of the past. However, critical studies of heritage have not had a permanent presence in university curricular plans, which has led to the absence of classroom training spaces and a lack of continuity or an organic future in the knowledge of the matter. This reality has engendered gaps in knowledge and research on archaeological practice, management, and the economic role of heritage.

In the last decade, both the general public and communities (traditional and urban) have been key elements for the official management of national heritage all over Latin America. These actors— civil society groups, heritage activists, and citizens—are understood as beneficiaries and consumers, as citizens with rights and as necessary factors for the sustainable protection of different types of heritage. From the perspective of heritage management and factual observation, however, certain human groups are understood as disruptive elements in the conservation and historical evolution of heritage.

Peru’s cultural heritage richness should not only be used for increasing economic surplus and to model Peruvians’ identity, but it is critical to grounding conversations about topics such as: commodification of heritage, cultural rights, diverse identities, sustainability, and participatory heritage projects. Comparing Peruvian regional and national scenarios, first with Latin America and then globally, will enrich not only scholars, but also heritage practitioners and activists dealing with heritage realities.

This conference was organized by Stanford Archaeology graduate student Grace Alexandrino Ocana, and features Stanford professor Lynn Meskell as keynote speaker.

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Please note this event is NOT held at Stanford. This conference takes place in Lima, Peru, and will be streamed live from Lima, starting at 8am Pacific time on April 24 at http://envivo.pucp.edu.pe/humanidades

More information here.