This event, organised by Swansea University’s Conflict, Reconstruction and Memory (CRAM) research group, will explore debates surrounding the cultural and political uses of monuments, reflecting upon their role in the memorialisation and imagining of the past. It takes a broad view of ‘monuments’, considering artefacts such as war memorials, cenotaphs and public statuary as well as urban sites damaged through war, or locations hallowed through their connection to pivotal events in the past. Initially planned for summer 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, the workshop draws inspiration from contemporary debates energised by movements such as ‘Rhodes Must Fall’, Decolonizing the University, and campaigns against Confederate monuments in the USA.
This event aims to contribute to these dialogues by fostering academic critiques of past uses of monuments and statues, whilst simultaneously engaging with present-day issues. As such, attendees will hear from academic speakers as well as practitioners who are (or have been) involved in modern-day campaigns to commission, design, or remove monuments. In this way, the workshop brings together theory and practice in a unique manner.
For the workshop's programme, see: here
Registration has closed, but the organisers can be contacted at contestedhistories2020@gmail.com
