Selected Topics of Cultural History

• Provide students with content that will deepen their knowledge of local and world history, especially the responses of "little people" to global socio-political influences, processes, and changes.
• Students will be able to critically analyze the problem, anticipate solutions by transferring their own and others' experiences or synthesize their own solutions according to the specific situation. Complex knowledge will enable them to adapt both cultural and historical knowledge more quickly to the needs of the profession and society.
• Students will acquire the knowledge and try their their experiences in ethnographic research, analysis of oral sources, and synthesis of knowledge.
• Students will be able to form their own interpretation of the cultural practices of a particular community and reflect on how these practices have influenced cultural processes and changes.

There are no conditions for inclusion in the work or to fulfill study obligations.

The course explores a variety of topics in cultural history with which students can deepen and supplement their humanistic knowledge, particularly in the areas of anthropology, anthropology, and sociology. Following Peter Burke, who defines cultural history as a science that emerged from historical anthropology and encompasses the anthropological understanding of cultures, i.e. ways of life of people in different times and places, the course includes knowledge of the following topics and concepts:
- definitions of culture, with emphasis on anthropological understanding;
- the role of the past in pre-modern, modern and post-modern societies;
- humanity, folk culture;
- tradition and innovation;
- authenticity;
- identity, identification practices and symbols;
- perception, emotions and relationships between subjects and objects;
- heritage practices and processes;
- community;
- media, media literacy and culture.

During the seminars, students learn ethnographic research methods: Interview, participant observation, photo voice, conducting focus groups, and try them out. Using critical thinking methods, they will analyse selected cultural practice from local community and reflected how it influenced on the development and transformation of local cultures and identities.

• Students will be trained to recognize cultural-historical and general social problems, which they will solve with the help of critical thinking, and knowledge of cultural and historical studies.

The basic literature is determined by the lecturer according to the topic of the lectures.

• Seminar paper evaluating a problem perceived by students at fieldwork on the topic of cultural practice. 50 %
• Active participation in the lecture and seminars and active participation in discussion. 20 %
• exam 30 %

Dr. Jasna Fakin Bajec is a research fellow, ethnologist, cultural anthropologist and historian. She has been employed at ZRC SAZU, Institute for Cultural and Memorial Studies, since 2004. Since 2021 she has been the head of the research station ZRC SAZU in Nova Gorica. In her research she pays special attention to cultural practices of (re)creation of cultural heritage for the purposes of social, cultural, environmental and economic development of local communities. She develops participatory approaches, methodologies and techniques for the integrated evaluation, protection, management and interpretation of cultural heritage. She is particularly interested in ways to empower and involve civil society in the management of cultural heritage practices. She is also concerned with the importance of memories, emotions, and affective reactions of the bearers of cultural practices in the mobilization of heritage for market purposes and the resulting violation of cultural rights. She has published the results of her research in the field of heritage and cultural studies in several scholarly and professional articles, proceedings, and books.

Bibliography:

FAKIN BAJEC, Jasna. Procesi ustvarjanja kulturne dediščine: na razpotju med neoliberalizmom in prostovoljstvom v okviru dediščinskih društev. Etnolog : glasnik Slovenskega etnografskega muzeja. [Nova vrsta]. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, letn. 30 = 81, str. 69-88. https://www.etno-muzej.si/files/etnolog/pdf/0354-0316_30_fakin_procesi.pdf.
FAKIN BAJEC, Jasna. The interpretation and utilization of cultural heritage and its values by young people in Slovenia : is heritage really boring and uninteresting?. Etnološka tribina : godišnjak Hrvatskog etnološkog društva. 2019, vol. 49, [no.] 42, str. 173-193. ISSN 0351-1944. https://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=335470, DOI: 10.15378/1848-9540.2019.42.07.
FAKIN BAJEC, Jasna (avtor, fotograf). An integrated approach to the revitalization, safeguarding and management of cultural heritage: how to establish a durable and active local group of stakeholders. Annales : anali za istrske in mediteranske študije. Series historia et sociologia. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, letn. 30, št. 2, str. 285-300, https://zdjp.si/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/ASHS_30-2020-2_FAKIN.pdf.
FAKIN BAJEC, Jasna (avtor, fotograf). Vključevanje skupnosti v razvoj in upravljanje kulturne dediščine v aplikativnih evropskih projektih. Glasnik Slovenskega etnološkega društva. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, 60, št. 1, str. 90-100, ilustr. ISSN 0351-2908. https://www.sed-drustvo.si/domains/sed-drustvo.si/modules/Domino/Files/glasnik-60-1-2020-manjaa-resolucija-1.pdf.
FAKIN BAJEC, Jasna. Cultural heritage and the role of voluntary associations in the process of achieving sustainable development in rural communities. Studia ethnologica Croatica. 2016, vol. 28, str. 21-45,. http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=253563.
FAKIN BAJEC, Jasna. Procesi ustvarjanja kulturne dediščine : Kraševci med tradicijo in izzivi sodobne družbe. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2011. 327 str., ilustr. Ethnologica - Dissertationes, 2.