„Unsteady Constructions“ (Third Annual Conference)

21-22 November 2019, Architekturforum, Technical University Berlin

The term “construction” refers in architecture and monument preservation mostly to the built world, in social and cultural sciences, however, to the social production of symbolic meaning. Understanding the material environment in relation to its social nature is one of the central concerns of the Research Training Group “Identity and Heritage”. Those who speak of “heritage” in the context of “identity” often promise “continuity” and “stability”. Nonetheless, these are promises that last only as long as people engage in related narratives. As these are increasingly questioned and the term “identity” has become a contested category, the familiar “constructions” become unstable, which is especially evident in moments of conflict, the conscious acquisition of identity and moments of loss.

During the last three years, the fellows of the first cohort of the Research Training Group have shed light on the connection between identity and heritage, and are now presenting their research results on these “unstable constructions” in their third and final annual conference. At the same time, the conference marks the start of the second cohort, which took up its work in October 2019.

Keynote speakers: Prof. Heike Hanada, Technische Universität Dortmund, and Prof. Dr. Ursula Renz, Alpen-Adria-University of Klagenfurt

PROGRAMME BOOKLET

Programm