United Kingdom Chapter
Welcome to the ACHS UK page, a platform for information and ideas from the UK Critical Heritage Studies community. ACHS UK is a geographical chapter of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies.
We understand the UK chapter – and ACHS more broadly – as a collegiate, inclusive and reflexive community. It is a network and platform enabling us to work together across institutions, fields and sectors. In this context, we have some key aims: to work for the recognition of ACHS in the UK research, funding and policy landscape; to advocate for ECRs; to build on heritage sector links; and to catalyse collegiate activity and events. We also hope that our activities will involve collaboration across all of the UK membership, as well as engagement with other chapters, responding both to current affairs and field debates. Heritage, in different forms, is often (if not always) front-page news. We are the research community to engage with this.
Forthcoming events
Tuesday 7 November 2023 - 12.30-1.30pm (GMT)
Prof. Sian Jones, ‘The Object of Conservation and Beyond’ (on Zoom). To book a place click here.
Friday 24 November 2-23 - 12.30-1.30pm (GMT)
Prof. Emma Waterton and Dr. Hayley Saul, ‘Heritage for Global Challenges’ (on Zoom). To book a place click here.
Previous events
In 2020 the Fifth Biennial ACHS conference was hosted virtually by UCL’s Institute of Archaeology in association with the Arts and Humanities Research Council Heritage Priority Area.
In 2018 we held the event Heritage Encounters together with Newcastle University. This included keynote talks from Professors Elizabeth Crooke and Rodney Harrison and coincided with the wider events organised for the European Year of Cultural Heritage in Newcastle and the Great Exhibition of the North.
In 2017 the UK Chapter co-hosted with the AHRC Heritage Priority Area a conference on Heritage Studies: Critical Approaches and New Directions held at UCL.
In 2016 at the ACHS conference in Montreal Dr Kat Lloyd organised an event called Critical Heritage Studies in the UK: Future Directions and we had eight provocations from a range of academics from Early Careers to high-profile Professors: Prof. Elizabeth Crook, Dr. Helen Graham, Prof. Rodney Harrison, Dr. Sophia Labadi, Prof. Rhiannon Mason, Prof. Mairead Nic Craith, Dr. Bryony Onciul, and Dr. Anna Woodham. These five minute talks covered a wide range of current UK issues such as: political conflict, current government initiatives, funding cuts, sustainability, intangible heritage, posthumanist approaches, postcolonialism, and climate change.
In July 2016 we held a symposium at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus. This brought together 23 academics, practitioners and PhD students to discuss the question: Can we have a ‘UK critical heritage’ in a globalised world with a colonial past? If so, what should be the focus and key drivers of moving critical heritage forward in the UK? We had papers on a diversity of topics including: nationalism, regionalism, archiving, intangible heritage, memory, landscape, assemblage, everyday objects, current political contexts, violent histories, commemoration, climate change, flooding, postcolonialism, and the future direction of the chapter. The day was filled with vibrant discussions and ended with an evening networking event in Falmouth.
Keeping up-to-date
Keep up-to-date via our newsletter (which you will receive if you select UK as your location or interest on your ACHS membership), or through the platform formerly known as twitter: @ACHS_UK.
Getting involved
We welcome new members, please join through the ACHS website http://www.criticalheritagestudies.org/become-a-member-1/ or you can contact us directly at achsukchapter@gmail.com, and follow us on twitter: @ACHS_UK
We welcome the opportunity to co-badge events in the UK within the broad and multidisciplinary field of critical heritage studies. ACHS UK does not have funds for events, but we can help to spread the word about relevant activities. Please get in touch via achsukchapter@gmail.com if this is of interest.
If you are a member of ACHS, you can become a part of the UK Chapter by selecting “United Kingdom Chapter” under “Chapters” in your Member Profile in the ACHS Member Directory or contact achsukchapter@gmail.com
If you are interested in getting involved in helping to shape our future programme of events as part of our organising team, please contact us.
Our current Chapter team includes: Chiara Bonacchi, Helen Graham, Alyson Mercer, Lorna Richardson, Chris Whitehead and Charlotte Woodhead.