Jia Wen: Abstract Dissertationsprojekt
Comparative Studies on Changes of Heritage Conservation Concepts
Background
The initiative of studying on this topic derived from my previous study on World Heritage and my writing of a series on World Heritage in China (Chinese and English) launched by World Publishing Cooperation Shanghai. After gained certain knowledge in this discipline, I found different concepts of heritage conservation and their changes along the development of human society greatly of research interest. Especially when different cultures encounter, their confrontations, communications as well as mutual influence often bring about new development of heritage conservation both at theoretical and practical level. Moreover, diverse and dynamic concepts behind these differences and changes are also worth researching at all time. Therefore I proposed to develop a comparative study on the topic as a doctoral study.
Methodology and main questions
The research is planned to be carried out through a comparative approach along a chronological timeline. Representative or important changes of heritage conservation concepts will be carefully selected and analyzed in order to reflect the main process of heritage conservation as well as of social development.
Questions concerning differences of Heritage Conservation concepts and their changes would be the main question of research, including comparisons and analysis on possible reasons caused them correspondingly.
Other important questions like: “What does cultural heritage mean to people of different culture, what are their roles in people’s daily life at different places of the world?” would also be possible issues to be discussed.
Aims
- Review up-to-now heritage conservation status and their guiding concepts;
- Compare different concepts of heritage conservation and analyze their development with a focus on conceptual changes happened;
- Explore possible reasons of differences as well as reasons cause changes;
- Summarize lessons learned and conclude possible models towards a sustainable development, especially for developing countries;
- Give recommendations if possible