Heritage, Conflict, Dialogue in Belarus and Sweden
Mikael Löfgren (Ed.)
Nätverkstan skriftserie 015
2022
”The background to this book is a collaboration between our organizations in Minsk, Belarus, and Gothenburg, Sweden, which started in 2018.
The key concept of our projects is heritage—or rather heritagization. The creation and destruction of heritage is an instrument of political practice aimed at changing or controlling identity. This book presents contributions of different origins and perspectives. While our projects
were underway there was a popular uprising in Belarus. The uprising; the terrible violence the regime is inflicting on Belarusians to stay in power: this is what gives this book and the projects which preceded it a special significance. Our work was never going to be limited to conflicts at a heritage site here or a monument there. Ours was never only an aesthetic or academic enterprise. Yet it is now painfully clear to us all that dialogue, knowledge, and education are the absolutes of democracy. Without them, violence and suppression will prevail.”
From Preface by Karin Dalborg & Tatiana Poshevalova
The aim of Nätverkstan Book Series is to bring new insights and perspectives to the ongoing debate on cultural policy and cultural economics. The ideas presented often have their origin in the research and pedagogical activities performed in our organization and/or in collaborations and projects with different partners around the world.
