Before Beginning: Power & Diplomacy
This form of power compasses a wide range of coercive policies, including economic sanctions and military action.
What is "hard" power?
Programs for heritage preservation are typically initiated/conducted during times of war and during this other time.
What is post-war recovery?
Winter cites a major expansion of these types of entities from the 1950s onward as major players in international heritage preservation.
What are non-governmental bodies and foundations?
In this essay, James focuses on this type of expert, as opposed to "experts of materiality" who are engaged with the material at the site of the object of preservation.
What are "experts of bureaucracy," who work away from the site of the object of preservation, such as in the offices of various international governance structures like UNESCO.
R. Ruiz Scarfuto focuses on cultural diplomacy in the context of this other practice.
What is tourism?
DISCUSS. Why is tourism an important avenue of cultural diplomacy?
This form of power uses culture, values, and ideas to persuade
What is "soft" power?
This country & its ruler staged an orchestral performance at Palmyra after its troops took control of the site in 2016.
What is Russia and Putin?
DISCUSS: What was the message of this event, and for whom?
Winter cites the Abu Simbel campaign of the 1950s as an important early example of this key theme of enquiry around cultural heritage diplomacy.
What is "venues?"
DISCUSS. Why does preservation activity and funding arrive in certain places at particular moments?
This agency makes recommendations to the World Heritage Committee regarding nominations to the World Heritage List.
What is ICOMOS?
R. Ruiz Scarfuto uses the example of this culturally-determined everyday activity as a means of cultural exchange.
What is food/meals/restaurant menus.
This is a form of "soft" power that strives to foster the exchange of views and ideas and build bridges between communities.
What is cultural diplomacy?
This initiative is discussed at length by Winter as the key example of a non-Western actor using cultural diplomacy to expand its influence beyond its borders.
What is China's Belt and Road Initiative?
Winter cites the diplomatic tensions associated with the ownership of museum objects around the world (e.g. Britain's ownership of the Elgin Marbles) as an example of this key theme of enquiry.
What are "borders?"
According to Lixinski, cited in James' essay, these people "create self-perpetuating mechanisms to ensure their own relevance".
Who are experts, particularly law-drafting experts -- those who take on the task of drafting the laws on cultural heritage by which the world is to abide.
According to Tim Winter, these two groups or entities will be the leading drivers of the market for illicit antiquities in China in the coming years.
Who/what are private collectors and new regional museums?
This political structure has traditionally been the core conceptual frame for considering issues of politics and diplomacy.
What is the "nation-state?"
DISCUSS, perhaps considering the idea of the nation-state as the core political structure of the West since the 18th century; or, other types of governance or political structures besides the nation-state.
This is one of the important motivations behind the BRI.
Answers could include:
What is a desire to create stability in China's western provinces?
What is a desire to integrate the Uyghur peoples into the larger nation?
What is a fear of Islamic fundamentalism along China's western borders?
DISCUSS
A state's construction of a shared history with other states or regions is an example of this key theme of enquiry into heritage diplomacy.
What is "cooperation?"
This group of 21 delegates evaluates the recommendations of ICOMOS, ICCROM, and other bodies in making decisions about nominations to the World Heritage List.
What is the World Heritage Committee?
According to Winter, these two countries are at the forefront of efforts to use cultural heritage to create zones of influence beyond their national boundaries.
What are India and China?
This explains why one nation might patronize or provide funding to protect or restore another nation's cultural heritage.
Answers might include:
--what is a desire to enhance bilateral relations?
--what is a desire by the external state to rehabilitate its own image in relation to that nation?
--what is a desire to create stronger economic ties/ benefits for the external state?
DISCUSS
Winter makes the distinction between "heritage in diplomacy" and this.
What is "heritage as diplomacy?"
DISCUSS "heritage as diplomacy."
According to Winter, this is almost always asymmetrical or imbalanced between cooperating agencies, countries, and individuals.
What is power? (Also acceptable, What are resources?")
DISCUSS
According to James, UNESCO adopted an apolitical and neutral veneer regarding cultural heritage as it engaged in this process.
What is "scientificizing" or "scientifization."
According to Tim Winter the China's BRI initiative (One Belt, One Road) is intended to recreate this complex historical structure.
What is the Silk Road?