This book challenges straightforward narratives of universities as sites of intellectual progress and societal development, bringing into the debate the remembrances of colonial pasts, material legacies, racialized inequalities and problematic histories. It offers a decentered deep-dive into, and comparative perspective on, the different kinds of university heritage values in both tangible and intangible forms. The book seeks to shed light on how European university heritage is problematized and acknowledged in terms of epistemic reparation and redress. Rather than taking the idea of Europe for granted, editors and contributors opt for an inclusive perspective that acknowledges diversity of positionalities and experiences in different political and historical contexts. By bringing such perspectives together, the book encourages connection and cross-thematic learning on topics such as colonialism, authoritarianism, racism and misogyny.
Peter Bille Larsen is Senior Lecturer at the University of Geneva, where he heads the Geneva Heritage Lab. He has a strong interest in critical theory, heritage studies and political ecology including work in the fields of environmental governance, international human rights, heritage and sustainable development. He is also a member of the Swiss National UNESCO Commission and presides over the Interface Commission of the Swiss Anthropological Association to strengthen anthropological engagement on critical societal challenges. Recent books include World heritage and human rights (Earthscan, 2017), The Anthropology of Conservation NGOs (Palgrave, 2018), World heritage and sustainable development (Routledge, 2018), Governing heritage and creativity (Letteraventidue, 2023).
