Conference: Exploring Maritime Heritage Dynamics

 

[Photo Gallery]  

Synopsis

How maritime heritage can contribute in the development of tools and capabilities to plan, design, and sustain competitive future scenarios that focus on the sea and its peculiarities as a main resource? Maritime heritage data are already collected, all around the world. Most harbour cities have public and private bodies (museums, centres, institutes, academic curricula, and/or associations) devoted to maritime heritage as a whole or to one or more of its arenas (sea-lanes network, water cities conservation issues, naval architecture, maritime logistics, underwater archaeology). In our vision Heritage Science applies interdisciplinary methods to the study and conservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage not for the sake of the past but to contribute to a sustainable and better future. In a 21st century global perspective, innovation and change in heritage interpretation processes of indigenous traditions require strategic political choices. Indeed, the deep impact that maritime heritage policies have on the future development of local identities is detectable in both local self-awareness and international external perception of the image of port cities and sea states. As a contribution to understand how heritage can be systematically and scientifically exploited as a resource for present and future sustainable policies, we propose to observe it through the lens of complexity theory. In a nutshell, complexity is an emergent property of a system with a large number of players and strong nonlinear interactions. This complexity is irreducible in the sense that no change of reference frame can make the description of the system simpler. In our case, complex interactions between present and past give rise to regimes (basins of attraction) separated by tipping points in a very high-dimensional cultural landscape. Whether we wish to remain in the same regime or to make a transition to a different regime, we need to measure how close we are to the various tipping points. Complexity theory offers the tools to detect nonlinear and discontinuous regime shifts that are impossible to detect using methods developed for linear and continuous changes. Complexity theory, and in particular complex networks theory further helps us understand the nature of these regime shifts in terms of ‘who’ (key players), ‘what’ (key heritage elements), ‘when’ (key timings), ‘where’ (key locales), ‘why’ (key drivers for the change), ‘how’ (key mechanisms). Once we understand regime shifts, complexity theory then offers suggestions on what data-driven procedures we can adopt to engineer regime shifts, either towards a desired regime, or to stay within a given regime.   [Programme]  

Videos & Presentation Slides

Welcome speech by Vibeke Sorensen Chair of School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University   Opening speech by Bertil Andersson President, Nanyang Technological University   1st keynote address Chair: Andrea Nanetti Associate Professor, School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University Biography Speaker: David Abulafia Professor of Mediterranean History in the University of Cambridge & Papathomas Professorial Fellow of Gonville and Caius College at Cambridge, United Kingdom Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Panel 1: Historical Interdependencies among Maritime Cities, in Asia Chair: David Abulafia Speaker: Kwa Chong Guan Honorary Adjunct Associate Professor and Visiting Fellow at the Archaeological Unit of the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore & Senior Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: John Miksic Professor, Southeast Asian Studies Department, National University of Singapore Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Q&A   Panel 2a: Rise and Fall of Hubs along the Maritime Silk Routes Chair: John Miksic Speaker: Asmahan Al-Garoo Associate Professor, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Mei Qing Professor, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Department of Architecture, Tongji University, Shanghai & Consultant Expert, WHITRAP-UNESCO Shanghai, China Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Moain Sadeq Associate Professor, Department of Humanities, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Q&A   Panel 2b: Rise and Fall of Hubs along the Maritime Silk Routes Chair: Kwa Chong Guan Speaker: Federico De Romanis Associate Professor, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Dhiravat Na Pombejra Independent Scholar, Former Associate Professor, Department of History, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Donna Brunero Senior Lecturer, Department of History, National University of Singapore Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Q&A   2nd keynote address Chair: Alan Chan Dean, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University Biography Speaker: Roger Kain Professor, Dean and Chief Executive, School of Advanced Study, University of London, United Kingdom Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Panel 3: Maritime Space Chair: Roger Kain Speakers: Andrea Nanetti and Cheong Siew Ann Conference chairs Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Angelo Cattaneo Associate Professor, The Portuguese Centre for Global History, New University of Lisbon, Portugal Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Evelyn Hu-Dehart Professor, Department of History, Brown University, USA & Visiting Professor, History Program, Nanyang Technological University Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Q&A   Panel 4: Maritime Heritage and the Arts in International Maritime Centres Chair: Kristy Kang Assistant Professor, School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University Biography Speaker: Stephen Davies Founding Director of the Hong Kong Maritime Museum and Lecturer, University of Hong Kong Biography & Abstract │   Speaker: Harold Thwaites Professor, Faculty of Arts, Sunway University, Malaysia Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Venka Purushothaman Vice-President (Academic) & Provost, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Q&A   Panel 5: Maritime Infrastructures, Research Facilities and Heritage Dynamics Chair: Laura Longo Associate Professor, School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University Biography Speaker: Malcolm Tull Professor, School of Management and Governance, Murdoch University in Australia and Chair of organising committee, International Congress of Maritime History (Seventh International Conference of Maritime History 2016) Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Agamemnon Tselikas Director, Centre of History and Palaeography of the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation Adjunct Professor, University of Patras and University of Corfu’ (Greece) Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Auron Tare Director General, Albanian National Coastline Agency Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Speaker: Andrea Bonifacio Deputy Director, Marco Polo System G.E.I.E. (Municipality of Venice) Biography & Abstract │ Presentation 1 & 2   Q&A   Singapore Maritime Trails   Panel 6: Maritime Education: Inspiring the New Generations Chair: Khong Shen Ping Dean, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Academy Biography   Speakers: Frederick Francis (Senior Lecturer, Singapore Maritime Academy, Singapore Polytechnic) and Albert Teo (Vice-Commodore, Youth Skipper Flotilla Society) Biography & Abstract │ Presentation   Closing remarks by Andrea Nanetti and Cheong Siew Ann Conference chairs