Emotion networks around Heritage in Educational settings
The idea behind emotion networks has been developed by ESHCC endowed Professor Hester Dibbits and Marlous Willemsen, the director of heritage institution Imagine IC. The research project is funded in light of the DRA (Dutch Research Agenda) research route ‘Towards Resilient Societies’. The goal is to extend emotion networks, a new method of dealing with heritage, to heritage education.
Feelings towards heritage items
Networks of emotion refer to the vast amount of feelings that people may have towards heritage items. Sometimes these feelings collide substantially with each other. A recent example includes the heavily debated Black Pete figure in the Dutch Saint Nicholas celebration. The purpose of networks of emotion is to gain more insight into the feelings of all parties involved into a discussion, which should eventually lead to more mutual understanding.
Young people in society
The EmErEd coined research project is part of the DRA that set out a research route to – among other things – strengthen the resilience of young people in society. For two years the EmErEd project will inquire into a new method in which young people, teachers and heritage professionals can express their feelings towards heritage items. Educational weeks at schools and knowledge seminars with young people will be organized, discussing central themes as religion and religious heritage. The expected outcome is an increased understanding of heritage amongst participants, the value of heritage and the influence it can have on the relation between men and things.
The EmErEd research project is conducted by a consortium of the Reinwardt Academy (AHK), Imagine IC, Museum Gouda, Waag Society, The National Centre of Expertise for Cultural Education and Amateur Arts (LKCA) and the CED-Group. The research is part of the JOIN Programme (Young people in Resilient Societies), led by Prof. Bas van Bavel (Utrecht University).
