Please join us for the talk “Why a Social Science Approach is Essential for Historic Preservation's New Focus on People” given by Jeremy Wells, Assistant Professor in the Program of Historic Preservation, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation here at the University of Maryland, and the co-organizer for the lecture series. The talk will take place next Wednesday, October 25th at 3:00 PM in Woods 1102.

 

Dr. Wells is the first speaker for the 2017–2018 UMD Heritage Lectures series, co-sponsored by the Department of Anthropology and the Program in Historic Preservation. He is co-editor of Preservation Education: Sharing Best Practices and Finding Common Ground (University Press of New England), and formerly served as co-editor of the journal Preservation Education & Research, and as Principal Preservation Planner for the City of Denver.

Why a Social Science Approach Is Essential for Historic Preservation’s New Focus on People

 

Critics of the orthodox practice of built heritage conservation/historic preservation point out its overemphasis on fabric and expert values and how it “sidelines” the values of everyday people who are supposed to be the primary beneficiaries of conservation. What would built heritage conservation instead look like from an emic perspective, which would require the challenging application of social science methods in an environment dominated by laws/rules/regulations? This presentation will address this question and offer a view into what the future of built heritage conservation could look like if it becomes more responsive to people while still remaining grounded in tangible fabric.