Architectures of Colonialism : Constructed Histories, Conflicting Memories

Abstract

The question of what heritage is and how we deal with it is not a neutral one. Recent events such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the toppling of monuments have made evident how much the colonial past is inscribed in our built environment; at the same time, colonialism continues to affect memorialization and historiography. Hence, those involved in architectural history are challenged to re-consider their positionality. Whose heritage are colonial sites? Which possibly silenced memories are attached to them? How are archives and material evidence reassessed to bring forward the stories of marginalized subjects? Following the call for decolonization, this volume explores historical methodologies and shows the entanglement of narratives at architectural sites, bringing together archaeology, architectural history, and heritage studies.