Past, itself, has an enormous strength as a source of personal and collective identity. In this sense, heritage is a clear proof of the existence of links with its memory and history, of continuity over time and of identification with a certain tradition, helping to reinforce the collective feeling of belonging to a group, also acting as a glue for the feeling of the community in the face of processes of homogenization as powerful as the one we call globalization. It is important to underline the strength it has, the semantic “load” and the identity value of monuments, among other works of Art, as a historical testimony that they are or pretend to be. Spain, Europe, and America have experienced painful events and periods of authoritarian governments in their recent history, which have left behind a wide-ranging and conflictive heritage legacy. The passage of time, or the transition to democratic systems later, initiated a complex phase in heritage, where debates were focused on the revision of that past, its assimilation and the problem of the management and conservation of this inherited cultural legacy. It is a context that needs to be known and studied, from a holistic perspective with other countries, which is the purpose of this International Conference at the University of Granada.

This Conference proposes different topics of debate on the heritage object and its conflicts in its management. Academia is invited to submit proposals to participate before February 15th, 2024.