Ateneo - UPO

History of cultural heritage from local to global scale. Colonialism and contested cultural heritage.

All students will prepare the 2 volumes indicated below:
-C. Tosco, “I beni culturali. Storia, tutela e valorizzazione”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2014.
-M.P. Guermandi, “Restituire. L'elefante nella stanza dei musei occidentali”, Nomos Edizioni, Busto Arsizio, 2026.

Not attending students, in addition to the 2 books mentioned above, will prepare also:
-J. Clifford, “Four Northwest Coast Museums: Travel Reflections”, in “Routes. Travel and Translation in the Late Twentieth Century”, Harvard 1997, pp. 107-145 (DIR).

Anyone who has already passed the exam in previous years should contact the prof. Tigrino and replace Tosco’s book with:
-M.P. Guermandi, “Decolonizzare il patrimonio. L'Europa, l'Italia e un passato che non passa”, Castelvecchi, Roma, 2021.

The course focuses on category of heritage, and its meanings and transformations in different periods and contexts, with particular attention to the relationship with collections, in an interdisciplinary way (history, art history, natural sciences, anthropology); a part of the course discuss the topic of contested cultural heritage (in particular with regard to the phenomenon of colonialism), and the relationship between "culture" and heritagization.
In alignment with the Educational Objectives of the Degree Programme as outlined in the SUA-CdS, and with specific reference to the historical, geographical, and cultural heritage areas, the Course has the following objectives at a basic level: -acquiring the general knowledge about the history of cultural heritage, and the ability to study autonomously the historiography on this topic; -knowing how to analyze at a basic level the history of cultural heritage, and that of its “objects”; -ability to communicate, at a basic level, the history of cultural heritage; - ability to approach the historiographic literature and the sources of the history of cultural heritage.
The course has the following purposes at an advanced level: -acquiring a full knowledge of the history of cultural heritage, and the critical ability to study autonomously the historiography on this topic; -knowing how to analyze autonomously and in a critical way the history of cultural heritage, and that of its “objects”; -ability to communicate, to a large public but also with a scientibc language, the history of cultural heritage; -ability to critically approach the historiographic literature and the sources of the history of cultural heritage.
The 6 ECTS credits earned during the course are distributed as follows:
1.2 ECTS credits (30 contact hours) of direct teaching (didattica erogativa), including interactive sessions with and among students (see "Teaching Methods");
4.8 ECTS credits of independent study.

Basic historical knowledge.

Frontal lectures; critical reading and critical analysis of the main historiographic themes and of the historical sources of the texts of the course, with particular attention to teaching methods. Individual study.

Those who have already taken the exam “Storia del patrimonio culturale [History of cultural heritage]” in previous academic years are required to contact prof. Tigrino to redefine the texts for the exam (see also the instructions in the textbooks section)). Students are advised to register on DIR (Didattica In Rete), where notices and communications will be posted, and where will be disposable some materials of the lectures.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via reference office consulting the University webpage: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilità-e-dsa
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Oral exam, about 20 minutes. The questions will assess: the student's ability to contextualize the topics learned in time and space; the acquisition of an organic vision of the disciplinary issues; the ability to use them into a coherent and correct exposition, also with a scientific language; the personal critical elaboration of the topics.
The exam is divided into 3-4 questions and concerns on the indicated bibliography, as well as for students attending, on the topics discussed during the lessons. The questions will concern the content of the textbooks and the main issues of history of cultural heritage, and the topic on contested cultural heritage, in particular with regard to the phenomenon of colonialism (as also indicated in the content of the course).
Vote, expressed in thirtieths, takes place on the basis of the following parameters: 1) knowledge of the fundamental notions of bibliography and, for attending students, of the topics covered during the lessons (20 points out of 30); 2) reasoning skills critic on the topics (5 points out of 30); 3) ability to express and communicate, and to use a scientific language (5 points out of 30). The exam will be successful if the sum of 18/30 is reached or exceeded.

The course will provide basic knowledge on main topics and methods of the discipline. The course will focus on the definition of the term "cultural heritage", and on its variations in different periods and contexts (one part will be devoted to a discussion of the Italian case-study). The link that collections of objects have with the history of cultural heritage, and with many disciplines (history, art history, natural sciences, anthropology) will be analyzed. A part of the course will focus upon contested cultural heritage, in particular with regard to the phenomenon of colonialism. The topics of the course will be constantly analyzed in connection with the current applications in history research and teaching methodology, also through the exemplification and development of didactic exercises.
Outline of the lectures.
• The concept of cultural heritage.
• The concept of collection and that of heritage: a historical approach.
• The history of heritage and protection: I. From the dimension of the sacred to the first interventions of protection in Roman period.
• The history of heritage and protection: II. From the Middle Ages to the French Revolution.
• The history of heritage and protection: III. The nineteenth century.
• The history of heritage and protection: IV. The twentieth century: from the concept of monument to that of cultural heritage.
• Protection and its tools: international cases and Italian peculiarities.
• The debate on the concept of enhancement.
• Contested cultural heritage and the debate on heritage and memory.
• Colonialism, collecting and cultures.
• The issue of the restitution of colonial artefacts and the debate in Western countries.
Gender issues: in the second part of the course, examples concerning gender and the contested cultural heritage will be discussed.

To achieve sufficient knowledge and skills, the student has to demonstrate: Knowledge: -to know chronology, themes and categories of the history of cultural heritage in modern and contemporary period, and its interdisciplinary applications. -to know the main problems concerning the discussion about cultural heritage, and the dynamics of protection and enhancement. -to know the general features of the historiographical discussions on the topic upon contested cultural heritage (in particular with regard to the phenomenon of colonialism), and the relationship between "culture" and heritagization. Competence: -ability to analyze issues of the history of cultural heritage in a critical way. Transversal skills: -ability to clearly communicate issues discussed during the lessons, with a proper language and with a scientific terminology.
To achieve an advanced level, the student must also demonstrate that he/she has: -an organic vision of the topics; -capacity for personal and critical processing of the topics; -ability to deepen theoretical and methodological issues of history in general, and in particular concerning heritage studies.
These learning outcomes are consistent with the provisions of the SUA of the Study Programme, framework A4.b2.