The Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies  at the Australian National University hosts Drs. Paul Shackel and Barbara Little to present two seminars and lead a workshop in October.

Claiming, Re-claiming and Celebrating Underrepresented Heritage (October 5th)

By Barbara J. Little

Civil Society Organizations, governments at all levels, educational and research institutions, and others identify and represent heritage in various and sometimes incompatible ways.  Heritage workers who are concerned about fairness and righting historical wrongs face challenges in assessing what counts as underrepresented heritage and what would count as adequately or appropriately represented heritage.  I will take a broad view of the way that heritage places are represented in the United States to consider the interplay of various organizations, including national cultural institutions and local preservation organizations.  I consider collaboration and competition, different definitions of “underrepresented,” and demographic change.  I consider historical and current civil rights struggles as foundational for opening paths to self-representation. 

Exploring the Power of Place for Heritage-based Peacebuilding (October 11th)

Led by Professor Paul A. Shackel and Dr. Barbara J. Little

Abstract: Participants in this workshop learn how to use the power of place to discuss issues of heritage and social justice. Together we will explore a process for developing a historic place as a centre to address contemporary issues with a focus on peacebuilding. Come to the workshop ready! Identify a place (preferably in your local area) that is associated with the history of a conflict that is still unresolved today and be ready to share a sentence or two about the place and the issue associated with it.  Participants will choose a handful of the places identified to focus on during the workshop. Participants will be working in small groups of 4-5 people using the world café model. Group discussions will lead to specific action plans so that committed participants will be ready to start making change in their community.

Remembering the Lattimer Massacre: Issues of Labor Justice in Northern Appalachia (October 13th)

By Paul A. Shackel

In 1897, immigrant coal miners in Northeastern Pennsylvania went on strike to gain similar wages earned by their white, English speaking co-workers. At a confrontation with the sheriff and his deputies, 25 miners were killed and another 40 were wounded. The Lattimer Massacre, considered one of the major miscarriages of American justice, was quickly forgotten, and disappeared from the national public memory. Today, the incident is missing from many of the major labour history text books and it is not part of the Pennsylvania State curriculum.  Through the efforts of many different stakeholders the subjects that surround Lattimer’s place in history - immigration, income equity, and labour justice – are important topics that are relevant and need to be addressed in the contemporary community.

For more information, visit: http://cass.anu.edu.au/news/events/centre-heritage-and-museum-studies-s…