Heritage and Healing in Syria and Iraq - (Social Archaeology and Material Worlds) by Zena Kamash (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book explores what to do with heritage that has been destroyed in conflict in Syria and Iraq. Drawing on research into trauma and trauma recovery, it challenges existing modes of cultural heritage reconstruction and envisages gentler, creative and ethically-driven ways to use heritage for healing.

Book Synopsis

This book explores what to do with heritage that has been destroyed in conflict. It charts a path through the colonial histories and traumatic wars of Syria and Iraq to examine the projects and responses currently on offer and assess their flaws and limitations, including issues of digital colonialism, technological solutionism, geopolitical manoeuvring, media bias and community exclusion.

Drawing on current research into the psychology and neuroscience of trauma and trauma recovery, and taking inspiration from artists and creative thinkers who challenge the status quo, this book envisages gentler, creative and ethically-driven ways to respond to heritage damaged in conflict that recentre people and their hopes, dreams and needs at the heart of these debates.

From the Back Cover

What should we do with heritage damaged in conflict? An obvious response is to reconstruct it just as it was, but is this really the most helpful approach?

In this stimulating book, British-Iraqi archaeologist Zena Kamash invites readers to consider the question more deeply. Charting a path through the colonial history of Syria and Iraq, she examines the responses currently on offer and explores their flaws and limitations, from issues of digital colonialism and technological solutionism to geopolitical manoeuvring, media bias and community exclusion. Drawing on recent research into the psychology and neuroscience of trauma, as well as artistic responses to the status quo, Kamash encourages readers to reflect on how we might use heritage to promote healing and wellbeing for Syrian and Iraqi communities.

Heritage and healing in Syria and Iraq challenges us to envisage a gentler, ethically driven response to heritage damaged in conflict, one that places people and their hopes, dreams and needs at the heart of the debate.

About the Author

Zena Kamash is Senior Lecturer in Roman Archaeology at Royal Holloway, University of London