Posted by Nigel Farrow, Chairman of the Ashgate Publishing Group
Our new catalogue of books on the policies, practice and history of culture and heritage management is now available. It represents Ashgate’s commitment to publish widely in these fields.
In the year of the London Olympic Games it is hardly necessary to stress the economic importance or international impact of major cultural events and institutions in contemporary society.
The new and recent titles in the Cultural and Heritage Management catalogue reflect scholarship and experience from many different parts of the world.
It is, perhaps, appropriate that an international, British-based publisher such as Ashgate should focus on this subject. Britain is an old country with long established and justly celebrated cultural institutions.
However, it is in the more recently developed or developing regions of the world that some of the most exciting new cultural initiatives are being made. And everywhere there is a challenge to present and preserve the heritage of humanity for future generations in the face of economic turbulence and physical conflicts.
Museum experience for the attendees has greatly improved in recent times as museums strive to widen the access to their collections and exhibitions.
Frank den Oudsten’s space.time.narrative: the exhibition as post-spectacular stage presents new and important insights into this experience and has contributions from Europe’s leading exhibition designers.
Archives, Museums and Collecting Practices in the Modern Arab World is a pioneering survey of practice in region that is rich in historical and cultural artefacts.
Among a range of new Heritage Studies titles are two which deal with the impact of iconic historical events and myths on national indentities today. Ireland’s 1916 Rising explores history-making and commemoration as the centenary of one of Ireland’s great events approaches. The Dracula Dilemma looks at the way that Romania has negotiated ‘Dracula tourism’ over the last four decades.
The catalogue lists the first titles in two important new or revived series.
Handbooks in International Art Business is a series published by our Lund Humphries imprint in association with Sotheby’s Institute of Art. This series draws upon the knowledge and experience of members of the faculties of the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, New York and Singapore. The first two titles are Chinese Antiquities: an introduction to the art market and Corporate Art Collections: a handbook to corporate buying.
The other series is an old friend who has much grown and is now dressed in a splendid new suit of clothes. Practical Building Conservation is a fully revised series of practical handbooks that is published in association with English Heritage. The original titles were published in 1988 and established themselves as standard reference books. The new series has extended the number of titles to a 10-volume set and all the books copiously illustrated in colour. The series covers all the main materials and building processes to be found in historic buildings.
The main contribution to the catalogue from our Gower business books imprint is The Cultural Leadership Handbook: how to run a creative organization. This title reflects the course of study for future leaders of cultural and heritage institutions that has been pioneered by the authors, Robert Hewison and John Holden, at the City University, London.
Several of the publishing programmes and series listed here are in their infancy. There is much more to come. So I hope that next time you hear the word culture you reach not for your gun* but for the Ashgate catalogue.
Nigel Farrow
Chairman, Ashgate Publishing Group
*As this is a scholarly catalogue for scholarly people, one should correct the general attribution this much used and abused remark. It may have been used by Göring, or Hess or Himmler, to name some very unpleasant people, but it actually originates in Hanns Johst’s 1933 play, Schlageter, “Wenn ich Kultur höre … entsichere ich meinen Browning” (“Whenever I hear of culture … I release the safety-catch of my Browning”).
View a pdf version of the Cultural and Heritage Management catalogue on our website
Do you have a book proposal?
We are actively commissioning new books in many areas of Cultural and Heritage Management. To discuss new ideas and proposals please contact the relevant commissioning editor:
Museums and Heritage Management – Dymphna Evans, Imogen Abed
Heritage and Identity series, Cultural Geography – Val Rose
Cultural Policy and Leadership – Martin West (Gower)
The Business of Art – Lucy Myers (Lund Humphries)
Carol Scott’s Museums and Public Value unpacks the concept of public value and examines its implications for museums. The book is essential reading for senior professionals, as well as museum and heritage studies students.
Francesca Monti and Suzanne Keene’s Museums and Silent Objects is a ‘thought-provoking volume which offers illuminating insights into what makes effective object-based displays.’ (Stuart Frost, British Museum, UK)
