Publications
UNESCO heritage, remembrance, and contemporary identity: festivities of Jewish culture in small towns in the Czech Republic
Třebíč, the only Czech town with its Jewish quarter listed as UNESCO World Heritage, has transformed its historical legacy through two annual festivals—Shamayim Jewish Culture Festival and Jewish Town Revived. These events have redefined the Jewish material culture from a neglected past into a prestigious identity marker for today's non-Jewish population. Through long-term fieldwork (2017–present), this study reveals how the festivals appropriate tangible monuments and intangible references, blending them with contemporary performances—predominantly by non-Jewish artists—to reimagine Jewish heritage. The research explores the boundaries of historical fidelity in these celebrations while examining their broader impact on urban revitalization and collective memory.
National Peripheries and Cultural Heritage: Community Building on the European margins
Peripheral regions in Europe, despite their distinct historical and socio-economic contexts, share common challenges in heritage mobilization. This study reveals that local communities in these areas employ diverse strategies to enhance cultural heritage, often balancing local and global interests while navigating the complexities of border instability. The research focuses on the Jewish Quarter and St Procopius' Basilica in Třebíč, Czech Republic, alongside other peripheral regions, to explore how community-driven initiatives contribute to sustainable development. By analyzing participatory strategies and the roles of various actors, the study highlights the adaptability and resilience of local communities in facing shared issues such as border dynamics and heritage preservation. It also underscores the need for further investigation into cross-border cooperation and the differentiation of heritage processes.
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