ARMHCP: Contemporary Issues and Debates In Heritage and Cultural Property (Ma)

Module code: ARMHCP

Module provider: Archaeology; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Alanna Cant, email: a.m.cant@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module focuses on the concepts, institutions, politics, and legal claims of heritage and cultural property in the contemporary world. It is taught using concrete case studies about heritage and cultural property issues, through which you will investigate such questions as: What is the relationship between heritage, identity, and the nation-state? What happens when culture becomes an economic resource? Can the concept of cultural property afford the protections that indigenous and minority groups seek? What are the consequences of natural and human-made threats to heritage sites? You will develop a detailed understanding of the historical development of heritage concepts and the national and global institutions, such as English Heritage and UNESCO, through which they are promoted. You will develop a critical understanding of the political, economic, social and environmental issues and debates surrounding heritage and cultural property, both in class and through independent research. You will also develop a comprehensive understanding of how heritage has become an important global industry premised on economies of tourism and heritage site conservation. Course materials will primarily be academic texts and documentary films about specific cases from all over the world. The module will be delivered through a series of lectures, seminar sessions, and documentary films, with a strong emphasis on independent research.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, terminology and institutions used by the heritage and cultural property industries.
2. Identify and systematically assess the conceptual and legal tensions between different aspects of heritage and cultural property.
3. Critically evaluate, using concrete examples, the social, political, environmental and economic effects or issues that can arise around heritage and cultural property.
4. Demonstrate an ability to undertake self-directed research into the topic of the course.

Module content

The course will begin with two sessions focusing on the history, concepts and institutions of heritage and cultural property before turning to specific conceptual themes, which are addressed in one session each.

You will select specific topics to investigate through your individual assessment and in-class presentation. Topics that may be covered include: ‘heritage and nationalism; ‘economies of heritage’; ‘heritage of indigenous and minority groups’; ‘cultural property and repatriation’; ‘intangible cultural heritage; negative and difficult heritage’; ‘cultural appropriation’ and ‘heritage at risk. ’

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This course is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, documentary film screenings,

directed reading, and independent research for assignments. Prepared participation by all students in the seminars is expected.

As a 20-credit module, the module should involve 200 hours of study time: attending lectures and seminars; reading and preparing for seminars; and reading for and preparing your coursework.

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative feedback on general seminar contributions will be provided during the discussion seminars.

Reassessment

Additional costs