What is heritage? Why is it that whenever we discuss heritage, we constantly bring up politics, economics, and a changing society? Why is it that when political regimes change, there is always a reevaluation of heritage? How is the heritage protection infrastructure established and functioning, and how is it changing? Why is heritage not something that can be lost or gained, but rather a value that can be endowed, recognized, or denied? We will discuss different approaches to the concept of heritage, the intersections and connections between heritage and memory studies. Additionally, the lecture will address the issue of how caring for the material past becomes a form of social mobilization and memory activism.

The lecture will be conducted by Ekaterina Melnikova, PhD, Associate Professor at the Department of History, European University at St. Petersburg.