Paper presented at the virtual 6 ISCs Joint Meeting on "Advancing Risk Management for the Shared Future", October 2020.

The significance of managing heritage processes in times of crisis

In this theoretical paper, I argue that risk management strategies should give more attention to managing processes and practices of heritage. Cultural heritage is beneficial in society for the many valuable processes it is linked to. It is a set of particular cultural processes and practices through which people engage with society. It can bring people together, make them engage with each other and their values, stimulate learning, enhance well-being, generate meaning, create employment, etc. But cultural heritage also bears risks and can have negative impacts, for example when it divides communities, advances hate and prejudice, discourages innovation and prevents development. Risk management needs to address the risks that might compromise the benefits of what heritage does in society. For example, disruption caused by crises due to conflicts or disasters may stop or interrupt heritage processes and practices. An important task of managing heritage in the aftermath of crises is the challenge of recreating or indeed bringing about heritage processes and practices that promise to benefit the living and their descendants while preventing harm. I argue therefore that risk management strategies should invest more attention to managing processes and practices of heritage for the benefit of present and future generations. Managing heritage processes in times of crisis requires us to embrace change and transformation.