ETMA133 Cultural heritage as a strategic tool of society

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Eva Kuminková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Marie Novotná (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Martina Pavlicová, CSc.
Department of European Ethnology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Martina Maradová
Supplier department: Department of European Ethnology – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The lectures will build on the information acquired during the Bachelor's degree programme in "Care of Cultural Heritage I and II" and extend it with practical knowledge and experience. Cultural heritage will be viewed not only as a value that needs to be protected but primarily as a resource that society uses on a daily basis to meet its diverse needs. In particular, we will focus on its function in building local, regional, national and personal identity, as a source of livelihood, on the ethical aspects related to the practice of cultural heritage in a changing society, and on the applicability of cultural heritage in critical situations such as sustainable development or armed conflict.
Learning outcomes
Completing the course will give students an overview of global issues that are also inscribed in Czech society, and ethnologists play a key role in their treatment. Students will understand the roles they can play as experts in developing and implementing strategies for safeguarding and preserving cultural heritage at local, regional, national and international levels. They will try to find and propose their own solutions to complex or ethically problematic situations. The course will equip them with the knowledge needed for successful application in practice and develop their insight and understanding regarding the complex role of cultural heritage in contemporary society. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Syllabus
  • The lectures will cover the following topics: - what cultural heritage can be useful for and how society can use it - cultural heritage as a source of identity (building communities, strengthening the sense of belonging and social coherence, creating shared values) - the role of the practitioners, communities and the institutions - sensitive heritage and ethical aspects - economic aspects of cultural heritage - cultural heritage as a means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals - the role of cultural heritage in armed conflict and displacement - the role of museums in interpreting cultural heritage - field trip.
Literature
  • BAJER, Vojtěch; BRYOL, Radek; BUBÍK, Miroslav; ČERVENKA, Radim; DRÁPALA, Daniel et al. Stopy lidského umu: předindustriální technické provozy na území někdejšího panství Rožnov. Ethnologica. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2022. ISBN 978-80-280-0201-5.
  • BRYOL, Radek; ČERŇANSKÝ, Martin; HNILICOVÁ, Markéta; KMOŠEK, Jiří; KMOŠEK, Vojtěch et al. Možnosti prezentace a udržitelné péče o památky lidové architektury: The possibilities of presentation and sustainable care for vernacular architecture monuments =
  • BOHÁČOVÁ, Michaela; DOROVSKÝ, Ivan; DVOŘÁKOVÁ, Hana; KOPŘIVOVÁ, Lenka; KOVAŘÍK, David et al. Barvy chorvatské Moravy. V Jevišovce: Sdružení občanů chorvatské národnosti v ČR, 2017. ISBN 978-80-270-3248-8.
  • KUMINKOVÁ, Eva. Tradice - proměny - identita: lidový oděv a tanec na Valašsku jako zdroje inspirace. Etnologické studie. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2021. ISBN 978-80-210-9962-3.
  • SMITH, Laurajane. Uses of heritage. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2006. ISBN 0-415-31831-9.
  • WULF, Christoph (ed.). Handbook on Intangible Cultural Practices as Global Strategies for the Future. Heritage Studies. Cham: Springer, 2025. ISBN 978-3-031-72122-9.
  • Sborníky textů "Material Times" - různá čísla.
Teaching methods
Teaching will be conducted in the form of lectures with a high degree of student participation through discussions, workshops, role-playing, sourcing or exercises with elements of strategic planning.
Assessment methods
Students will be evaluated based on the completion of regular tasks and the submission and presentation of a group final paper in which they will be asked to propose a strategic plan for preserving or conserving a specific element of tangible or intangible cultural heritage. The final assignment will include a justification of the selection of the cultural element, an analysis of the situation, an explanation of what societal needs its conservation will contribute to and why it is, therefore, desirable to invest energy and money in it, and a plan for its conservation/preservation and sustainability, including the definition of roles of different stakeholders.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
Teacher's information
The condition for the semester work to be accepted for evaluation is the submission of other assignments.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2026, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/ETMA133