Interdisciplinary, Cross-practice, Cross-issue: Reflections on Field Studies of Heritage Struggles in Myanmar

Abstract

My comments follow the call for interdisciplinary approaches in cultural heritage and the arts, looking to the meaning of interdisciplinary approaches in the context of scholarly engagement with efforts to promote World Heritage. In particular, I look to the issues of “doing” interdisciplinary studies in relation to the application of scholarly insights for international aid efforts involving World Heritage sites. My thoughts arise from experiences as an empirical scholar doing field work on World Heritage nominations in Myanmar, but as much as they connect to the circumstances of developing countries they also extend more generally to other locations. The argument is that intentions for interdisciplinary approaches in World Heritage practice are challenged by the structure of the international aid system, which is comprised of donors and aid providers with established practices. As a result, there is a need for scholars to consider ways of “doing” interdisciplinary studies in the promotion of World Heritage.