Advanced knowledge of English, oral and written
Heritage Studies and ICT is a module aiming at supporting students in understanding heritage interpretation
and management, namely:
How are cultural objects and practices turned into heritage? Who are the experts and agencies that deal with heritage? How do societies/consumers deal with heritage and how it impacts on them? Who are the relevant stakeholders, actors and factors in heritage practices? How is heritage managed? What has politics to do with heritage, etc.
Students acquire:
• Comprehension of the historical and critical elements necessary to understand the concepts of heritage;
• Knowledge about the fluid heritage typology, as related to natural and cultural domains, material/immaterial assets, digital domains.
• Capacity to consider heritage not only as a ‘site’ or ‘object’ but as a dynamic cultural process or a material/virtual product.
• Understanding of the significance of heritage for societies;
• Understanding of the political and ideological implications of heritage;
• Understanding of how do relevant agencies and stakeholders (on the local, national and international levels) design the way heritage is identified, defined, valued, managed, perceived and consumed;
• Understanding of the international and national legal frame of heritage, including restrictions and their impact on heritage management;
• Capacity of developing a heritage-based personal project (written assignment).
The objectives of the module are coherent with the Cultural Studies critical approach related to Travel and Tourism theories and to Anthropology of complex societies. The objectives are also coherent with the general framework of the MA PMTS Course, with reference to the AREA “Languages, Art, Culture”, devoted to tourism and heritage in their cultural impact and in managerial perspectives.
• Identification and definitions of heritage; scales and types of heritage;
• Heritage value, significance and impacts on societies;
• The authenticity debate - perception, interpretation, participation, virtual experiences;
• The political and ideological implications of heritage;
• Heritage Conservation and Management: the main actors and bodies dealing with heritage on the global, European, national and local levels;
• The legal frame of heritage management: international, national and regional legislation related to heritage. Copyright, open licenses and freedom of panorama. The implications and impacts of legislation on heritage management.
One lecture is provided by a visiting professor, on the topics of Dissonant Heritage Narratives. A series of lecture will be offered by a visiting professor.
The course has a blended approach based on both theory and practical production.
• Lectures with the support of Power Point Presentations;
• International case studies with ample presentation;
• Short videos presented and commented;
• Group and individual works and discussions.
• After becoming familiar with the main concepts of heritage and its management strategies, students will be guided in the production of their own assignment in critically applying theory to a heritage-based individual project focusing on a specific territory.
The assessment and evaluation are based on the written assignment and on the oral exam, marks being expressed in n/30. The written assignment is organised and assessed by the visiting professor, who explains and discusses with the classroom on how to perform the task. Detailed instructions are available on the website page of the course. The written assignment is a homework, prior to the oral exam. The mark concurs to the final evaluation. Students will know their mark before the oral exam, and will be able to discuss it via email with the visiting professor; the mark can be rejected or improved.
The Oral exam tests the knowledge of concepts and issues presented to the classroom or related to the recommended readings, and it includes a brief discussion about the written assignment (the discussion being in Italian for the Italian students).
Relevant elements in the evaluation:
• Demonstration of the general comprehension of conceptual as well as critical contents;
• Exhibition of thoughtful analysis and conceptual synthesis;
• Good writing skills;
• Careful use of references and bibliography;
• Understanding of the course readings and the related issues as listed in the Course content;
• Quality of the critical argumentation in fluent English.
Outstanding (30 e lode): excellent knowledge of all of the contents of the course. Excellent ability to analyze the texts and to contextualize them in an appropriate way. The student uses the academic writing register/style with appropriate linguistic terminologies.
Very good (30 to 27): very good knowledge of all of the contents of the course. Very good ability to analyse the texts and to contextualize them in an appropriate way.
Good (26-24): Good knowledge of the contents of the course. Adequate ability to describe the texts. The language used is simple but correct.
Fair/sufficient (23-18): Sufficient knowledge, coherence, use of appropriate resources and quality of presentation to warrant a basic pass. The ability to analyse the texts is not wholly satisfactory. The performance is very descriptive and does not fully address the issues raised by the questions.
Fail (below 18): The student demonstrates only a basic awareness of the contents of the course. The performance is confused and incoherent, with inaccuracies and major errors.
For any information concerning the written assignments, the non-attendee students are warmly invited to read carefully the instructions published on the web-site of the course, and to contact the visiting professor who is referent for the written assessment.
For non-attendee students, frequent contacts with the teachers are also recommended. (virtual or in presence). Some further readings are also suggested, also for insights in view of the final thesis:
F.Schouten, Managing Visitors: Helping the frail to prevail, NHTV Academic Studies, 2005.
ERASMUS STUDENTS:
Erasmus students are recommended to introduce themselves to the lecturers at the beginning of the teaching period, either if they are attendee or non-attendee students. Programmes and exam contents are the same for Erasmus and non-Erasmus students. A special winter session of exams is available for the Erasmus students who finish their stay in December.
In case the course is delivered in the dual/blended or online mode, what has been stated in the syllabus is susceptible to change in order to make both the classes and the exams accessible in a non face-to-face environment.