37th PRAGUE World Conference on Arts and Heritage Studies: PAHS-26

Call for papers/Topics

Topics of Interest for Submission include, but are Not Limited to:

1. Core Foundations of Heritage

This area focuses on the theoretical definitions of what constitutes "heritage" and how it is classified.

• Tangible Heritage:

  • Movable heritage (paintings, coins, manuscripts).

  • Immovable heritage (monuments, archaeological sites).

  • Underwater cultural heritage.

• Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH):

  • Oral traditions and expressions.

  • Performing arts and festive events.

  • Traditional craftsmanship and rituals.

• Natural Heritage:

  • Cultural landscapes and physical geological formations.

  • Biological diversity in a historical context.

2. Art History and Visual Culture

The study of artistic evolution and the social context of creation.

• Chronological Periods:

  • Prehistoric and Ancient Art.

  • Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque.

  • Modernism, Post-Modernism, and Contemporary Art.

• Global Perspectives:

  • Western Art Canon vs. Non-Western Art traditions.

  • Indigenous art and decolonizing the gallery.

  • Islamic, Asian, and African art histories.

• Theories of Aesthetics:

  • Formalism, Iconography, and Semiotics.

  • The psychology of perception in art.

3. Museum and Curatorial Studies

Focuses on the practical and theoretical aspects of displaying and managing collections.

• Museology vs. Museography:

  • History and philosophy of museums.

  • Practical exhibition design and spatial planning.

• Curatorial Practices:

  • Exhibition themes and narrative building.

  • Collection management and acquisitions.

• The Changing Role of Museums:

  • Museums as agents of social change.

  • Digital curation and virtual museums.

4. Conservation and Preservation

The technical and ethical science of protecting physical objects and sites.

• Preventive Conservation:

  • Environmental control (lighting, humidity, temperature).

  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

• Restoration Ethics:

  • Minimal intervention vs. full restoration.

  • Reversibility in conservation treatments.

• Material Science:

  • Chemistry of pigments, textiles, and building materials.

  • Degradation processes of organic and inorganic materials.

5. Cultural Policy and Management

The administrative, legal, and economic side of the arts.

• Heritage Law and Ethics:

  • UNESCO World Heritage conventions.

  • Illicit trafficking of cultural property and restitution/repatriation.

• Arts Administration:

  • Strategic planning for cultural organizations.

  • Fundraising, grant writing, and philanthropy.

• Cultural Economics:

  • The "Creative Economy" and creative industries.

  • Cultural tourism and its impact on local communities.

6. Heritage in the Contemporary World

How the past interacts with modern social and political issues.

• Memory and Identity:

  • Collective memory and national identity.

  • "Difficult heritage" (sites of conflict, slavery, or trauma).

• Sustainability:

  • Climate change impacts on heritage sites.

  • Sustainable tourism management.

• Digital Heritage:

  • 3D scanning and digital archiving of endangered sites.

  • Artificial Intelligence in art authentication.