Dark and/or Problematic Cultural Heritage

The course addresses and critically discusses the category of cultural heritage referred to as dark or problematic, as well as why dark and problematic heritage is considered important to preserve and communicate. Dark and/or problematic cultural heritage may include elements connected to events or periods of violence and abuse, conflicts, acts of violence and terrorism, or oppression of specific groups. This heritage may, in various ways, have been deliberately silenced and forgotten, formally or informally remembered, instrumentalized for political purposes, or even adapted for tourism (so-called dark tourism). The subject is highly interdisciplinary and is explored through studies of key theories and current research in the field, along with an in-depth focus on a theme that varies from year to year. During the autumn term of 2026, the in-depth theme will be *Dark and/or Problematic National Cultural Heritage*.