Theory and practice in heritage decision-making

Matravers, Derek (2024). Theory and practice in heritage decision-making. In: Somhegyi, Zoltán and Giombini, Lisa eds. The Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Architectural Reconstruction. London, UK: Routledge, pp. 9–18.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003334200-3

Abstract

This chapter examines the relation between “Critical Heritage Studies” (CHS) and other approaches to thinking about heritage. It argues that CHS is needlessly oppositional. The central claim of CHS, which value applies only to human practices and not to objects, is doubtfully coherent and certainly unmotivated. There is a relativism inherent in the position which not only underpins an exaggerated scepticism about expertise but also results in needless pessimism concerning dialogue between communities. In as much as the relativism is based on the claim that “value only exists from a certain perspective”, it too is unmotivated. By showing that CHS has no reason to adopt some of the claims that separate it from other disciplines, this chapter aims to encourage understanding between a range of different approaches.

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