About the Book
This book is a study of the role of cultural and heritage networks and how they can help institutions and their host societies manage the tensions and realise the opportunities arising from migration.
In looking at past and emerging challenges of social inclusion and cultural dialogue, hybrid models of cultural identity, citizenship and national belonging, the study also sets out to answer the questions 'how'. How can cultural institutions leverage the power of cross-border networks in a contested place such as Europe today? How could they elaborate approaches and strategies based on cultural practices? How can the actions of the European Commission and relevant cultural bodies be strengthened, adapted or extended to meet these goals?
Cultural Networks in Migrating Heritage will be of interest to scholars and students in museum and cultural heritage studies, visual arts, sociology of organisations and information studies. It will also be relevant to practitioners and policymakers from museums, libraries, NGOs and cultural institutions at large.
Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction: cultural and heritage networks in an age of migrations; Migrating heritage; Cultural networks shaped; Cultural networks weakened; Cultural networks strengthened; Coda: cultural policy implications and recommendations; Appendix; References; Index.
About the Author :
Perla Innocenti is a cultural heritage and information studies scholar. She is Senior Lecturer in Information Science at the iSchool of Northumbria University and Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Culture and Creative Arts, University of Glasgow. Her research and publications cross disciplinary boundaries between cultural heritage, museum studies, cultural informatics, library and information science. In particular she has a passion for investigating the ways cultural collections can be acquired, managed, preserved, accessed, displayed and interpreted in a digital world. Perla has a PhD from the University of Glasgow, a MA from Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Research Fellowships from University of Glasgow and Politecnico di Milano. She led research as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator in several national and EU-funded collaborative research projects, and worked in libraries and with museums. With Ashgate, Perla published Migrating Heritage (ed., 2014).
Review :
'At a time when official European Union cultural policy promotes "unity in diversity" Perla Innocenti's volume offers an insightful new dimension for one of the key domains generating this cultural diversity: migration. Her concept of "migrating heritage" is novel and nuanced. Her focus on networks is exceptionally productive. This book is a "must read" for heritage scholars, practitioners and policy-makers.' Helaine Silverman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA 'Every day we are in the midst of complex flows of information, knowledge and culture. Innocenti offers a robust and thoughtful account of the ways that networks make European cultural and heritage institutions work and that increasingly shape our working identities. This excellent book interrogates how cultural networks are practiced, the challenges they create, and potentials they offer towards addressing issues of diversity, mobilities and intercultural dialogue.' Mike Robinson, University of Birmingham, UK 'At a time when intercultural understanding is more important than ever, this innovative book combines rigorous policy analysis and expert testimony with case studies from across Europe. As well as providing timely insight into migrating heritage it offers inspiration for both policy makers and cultural institutions.' Mark O'Neill, Glasgow Life, UK 'Europe since the last millennium has been buzzing with attempts to "network" heritage, especially in the service of creating a more united "Europe". Perla Innocenti does a valuable service for those working in this field in reporting on a wide range of case-studies, highlighting the multiple forms that such networking can take, as well as the challenges that networking projects face, and the potential that they hold for contributing to more "cultural connection" in Europe in the future.' Sharon Macdonald, University of York, UK 'Perla Innocenti's timely monograph is an engaging analysis of several case studies of cultural networking from European museums, libraries, cultural institutions and policy bodies. It demonstrates the potential of digital technology in fostering dialogue and cooperation, and in unlocking the value of Europe's migrating heritage.' Costis Dallas, University of Toronto, Canada
`At a time when official European Union cultural policy promotes “unity in diversity” Perla Innocenti’s volume offers an insightful new dimension for one of the key domains generating this cultural diversity: migration. Her concept of “migrating heritage” is novel and nuanced. Her focus on networks is exceptionally productive. This book is a “must read” for heritage scholars, practitioners and policy-makers.’
Helaine Silverman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
`Every day we are in the midst of complex flows of information, knowledge and culture. Innocenti offers a robust and thoughtful account of the ways that networks make European cultural and heritage institutions work and that increasingly shape our working identities. This excellent book interrogates how cultural networks are practiced, the challenges they create, and potentials they offer towards addressing issues of diversity, mobilities and intercultural dialogue.’
Mike Robinson, University of Birmingham, UK
`At a time when intercultural understanding is more important than ever, this innovative book combines rigorous policy analysis and expert testimony with case studies from across Europe. As well as providing timely insight into migrating heritage it offers inspiration for both policy makers and cultural institutions.’
Mark O'Neill, Glasgow Life, UK
`Europe since the last millennium has been buzzing with attempts to “network” heritage, especially in the service of creating a more united “Europe”. Perla Innocenti does a valuable service for those working in this field in reporting on a wide range of case-studies, highlighting the multiple forms that such networking can take, as well as the challenges that networking projects face, and the potential that they hold for contributing to more “cultural connection” in Europe in the future.’
Sharon Macdonald, University of York, UK
`Perla Innocenti's timely monograph is an engaging analysis of several case studies of cultural networking from European museums, libraries, cultural institutions and policy bodies. It demonstrates the potential of digital technology in fostering dialogue and cooperation, and in unlocking the value of Europe's migrating heritage.’
Costis Dallas, University of Toronto, Canada
