Grace Alexandrino Ocaña

This workshop critically examines the multifaceted consequences of neoliberal sensibilities on diverse cultural heritage landscapes, particularly in the context of post-conflict and post-colonial settings. It brings together scholars and practitioners from diverse geographical regions—Peru, India, Central Asia, Liberia, Pakistan, and Senegal—to unpack the complex processes, sensibilities, and conflicts in which neoliberal sensibilities shape tangible cultural heritage sites as both desired and undesirable landscapes. Drawing upon their respective fieldwork experiences, the participants will engage in a comparative analysis of three overlapping themes: first, neoliberal urban heritagescapes as a historical palimpsest to uncover the various cultural layers and the meanings, contestations and histories within them. Second, neoliberal heritagescapes in the urban, peri-urban and non-urban to investigate the permeating and evolving effects of neoliberalism on cultural heritage in and beyond cityscapes. And lastly, the afterlives of neoliberal heritagescapes to engage with perceived heritage value beyond the chronological life of cultural heritage. Through rigorous scholarly engagement, the workshop contributes valuable insights to the ongoing debates surrounding the market-driven practices, often implemented in the pursuit of sustainable development and tourism, while addressing problems of history, culture, development, architectural aesthetics, institutional hegemony, gentrification, urbanism, citizenship, nation-branding, religion, and political and national interests.