What does the natural and cultural heritage mean for indigenous peoples in the Amazon and how could a better awareness strengthen them against external influences? Are not the experiences and traces of migrants on the routes from Africa to Europe also to be considered cultural heritage, and does this not suggest a reconceptualisation of the concept of heritage? - These are two of many questions that illustrate how present and global the debate about our cultural heritage is. Two projects that exemplify the research interests of eight international teams in the field of tension between "heritage and change". As part of their joint call for proposals "Global Issues - Integrating Different Perspectives on Heritage and Change", the Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo (Italy), the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (Sweden) and the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany) now make a total of around 11 million euros available for these eight new projects.

Based on an international peer review, interdisciplinary research projects were selected in which the perspectives of researchers and participants from different countries are brought together. In addition to a main applicant from Germany, Italy or Sweden, at least two partners from low- or middle-income countries outside Europe are involved in every project. Investigating the respective topics from different perspectives seems particularly profitable, as cultural heritage creates identity across national borders. Moreover, it is exposed to similar threats worldwide, so transnational approaches to solutions are in demand. Whether digitalisation, environmental changes or globalisation - with regard to the major transformation processes of the present, the topic of culture is usually given little consideration. This is one of the reasons why the thematic field was defined for this call.

Projects funded by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond

Christiane Brosius, Universität Heidelberg, Germany
Sabin Ninglekhu, Social Science Baha, Nepal
Stefanie Lotter, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK
Sasanka Perera, South Asian University, India
Heritage as Placemaking: The Politics of Solidarity and Erasure in South Asia
€ 1 497 200

Susanna van der Watt, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Lizabé Lambrechts, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Fernanda Pitta, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil
Decay without mourning: Future-thinking heritage practices
€ 1 437 200