Cultural Heritage and Human Rights: First Conceptual Notes

The aim of this article is to reflect on cultural heritage as a field capable of embodying and addressing human rights (Botelho, Costa, Cultural heritage and human rights: first considerations. In: André P (ed) Anthology of essays. Collaborative laboratory: urban dynamics, heritage, arts. VII – seminar on research, teaching and dissemination, Museum of Mértola, Mértola, pp 196–207, 2020; Langfield et al, Cultural diversity, heritage, and human rights: intersections in theory and practice. Routledge and Taylors & Francis Group, London, 2010; Kapchan, Cultural heritage in transit: intangible rights as human rights. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 2014; Silverman, Ruggles, Cultural heritage and human rights. Springer, New York, 2007; Soares, Cureau, Cultural heritage and human rights, 2nd edn. Edições Sesc, São Paulo, 2019; Vrdoljak, Human rights and cultural heritage in international law. In: Lenzerini F, Vrdoljak AF (eds) International law for common goods: normative perspectives on human rights, culture and nature, Studies in International Law, vol. 50. Hart Publishing, Oxford, pp 139–175, 2014). Based on the connection between cultural heritage, international relations and human rights, this research proposes to problematise the conceptual and normative frameworks regarding the subject-matter, from an international viewpoint (Christofoletti, Soft power and heritage. Springer Nature, Cham, 2023; Christofoletti, Botelho, International relations and heritage: patchwork in times of plurality. Springer Nature, Cham, 2021; Ohnesorge, Why are climate activists throwing food at million-Dollar paintings? Smithsonian Mag. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-are-climate-activists-throwing-food-at-million-dollar-paintings-180981024/ , 2020). The main concepts to be explored are those of: cultural heritage, human rights, soft power, hard power, cultural diplomacy, international relations, advocacy, activism and propaganda. From a methodological perspective, the exploration of concepts will be based on the critical analysis of normative instruments—from 1945 onwards (UN, Charter of the United Nations. UN, San Francisco, 1945)—, practical examples from the 2000s and one hypothetical exercise. The selection of references is based on the development of the International Human Rights System, specifically from 1945 onwards, as well as the internationalisation and democratisation of heritage doctrine until 2023. This approach seeks to understand: Which concepts presuppose the use of soft power? Which ones resort to hard power? And finally, how does cultural heritage apply them to embody or address human rights? This research aims to contribute to clarifying the conceptual complexity of the topic, exposing the tangential meanings of the selected terms, their points of estrangement and their applicability in the fields of cultural heritage, international relations and human rights.