Candidates for the Executive Committee, 2024

In early May 2024, the ACHS sought expressions of interest for election to the ACHS Executive Committee. Officers will be elected by the Members for a 2-year term and announced at the General Meeting on June 6, 2024. The ACHS By-Laws govern the elections and the members of the Executive Committee (see Article 5).

The 2024 election includes 1) ACHS members standing for the Executive Committee, 2) Current Executive Committee members standing for Officer positions of President, Vice-President of Chapters, Vice-President of Communications, and Vice-President of Membership, and 3) Officers seeking re-election for positions of Vice-President of Conference and Secretariat Officer.

The candidates are listed below:

1) Candidates for Executive Committee (up to 5 positions to be filled)

Deepak Chhabra
Harald Fredheim

2) Current Executive Committee members standing for Officer positions

President: Tokie Loatan Brown
Vice-President of Chapters: Naomi Oosterman
Vice-President of Communications: Ali Mozaffari
Vice-President of Membership: Carsten Wergin

3) Officers seeking re-election for another term

Vice-President of Conference: Myriam Joannette
Secretariat Officer: Jessica Mace

_________________________________________________

About the candidates

Please see below to learn more about each of the candidates.

Candidates for ACHS Executive Committee

Deepak Chhabra

About: I am an Associate Professor in the School of Community Resources & Development at Arizona State University (USA). I hold a PhD in Forestry and my area of doctoral research was cultural/heritage tourism and authenticity/authentication of heritage and viable economic impacts of heritage tourism. Over the years, my research has expanded to other trajectories such as sustainable marketing of heritage tourism, transformative potential of heritage tourism, and building wellness, transformative models to advance quality of life and wellbeing of different stakeholders of niche forms of tourism such as heritage tourism, ecotourism and wellness tourism. I also hold the position of Global Futures Scientist in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory.

Statement: My expertise and research interests align with the core aim of ACHS: to promote heritage as an area of critical inquiry. The ACHS Executive Committee also highlights two intersecting themes of equity and inclusion. Some of my recent work has centered on inclusion and equity. For instance, I have conducted research on issues associated with heritage justice and gender equity.

My recent body of work extends the dialogical perceptiveness of authenticity and authentication of heritage, particularly from the standpoint of transcendence, ethical behavior, and overall wellbeing. For instance, my recent book titled ‘Authenticity Resilience and Digital Heritage Tourism’ by Routledge advances the dialogue on authentication of authenticity in heritage tourism using a resilient smart systems approach. Two of my forthcoming books aim to further advance the notion of authenticity and sustained transformation/higher sense of consciousness from sustainable marketing and sustained sense of well-being perspectives.

I have pointed out in several of my research initiatives that fundamental discussions about local community and heritage should center on the manner in which public heritage representations are viewed by different sections of the community. It cannot be denied that in places, inhabited by multiple ethnic communities, heritage dissonance and societal amnesia are unavoidable. Attention is required towards a historical analysis of heritage practices to offer a deeper narrative by looking at heritagisation as a process to unfold multiple perspectives of heritage. Some of my recent work deliberates on sustainable marketing strategies that are geared towards equitable showcasing of heritage representations to promote a shared sense of heritage.

It is being increasingly recognized that foundations of a healthy, socially inclusive, and harmonious society rest on the ability of public institutions to reconcile dominant cultural heritage perspectives with the prevailing socio-cultural values of the local community. Such efforts can facilitate a deep sense of place and help to shape the manner in which the civic society engages with each other, views the role of public institutions, and develops a favorable disposition towards external audiences such as tourists.

I strongly believe that I hold the credentials to contribute towards advancing the aim and core purpose of ACHS.

Harald Fredheim

About: Harald Fredheim, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in Museum Studies at the University of York (UK). Harald is a trained objects conservator and archaeologist whose research on how pasts are used and constructed in the present - spanning collections, buildings and landscapes. His work is centred around museums, heritage and archaeology, with a particular focus on public participation and engagement – both in-person and online. Since completing his PhD on participatory approaches to caring for heritage places, he has worked on research projects exploring contemporary collecting and disposal in museums, how to care for heritage buildings in landscapes undergoing unavoidable change and how to understand and evaluate public benefit from development-led archaeology.

Statement: My research is focused on participatory approaches in the heritage and museum sectors and the tensions within efforts to 'democratise' heritage through public participation and their potential for inadvertently undermining heritage professionals' pay and working conditions. I am currently in the process of starting a new project with colleagues at Mahidol University in Thailand to explore how participatory projects in museums are positioned within museum business models and how this impacts their sustainability and the participant experience. I am also researching documentation systems and how they could be designed to be open, collaborative and creative sites for engagement and participation.

I initiated the formation of the ACHS Early Career Researchers Network following the 2016 conference in Montreal and coordinated the network with a team of ECR colleagues from around the world until 2022. As part of this role, I helped organise online networking meetings for ECRs and in-person events during ACHS conferences. I am also currently on the Scientific Committee for the 2025 European Association of Archaeologists conference and part of the local organising team for the 2025 Theoretical Archaeology Group (UK) conference to be held in York in 2025.

I am interested in supporting the planning and delivery of future ACHS conferences and events and/or the support and development of ACHS chapters and networks. In particular, I would like to build on my experience from coordinating the ACHS Early Career Researchers Network to help ensure ACHS is as welcoming as possible to early career researchers and other new members who may not already have large networks within the association.

Current Executive Committee members standing for new Officer positions

Candidate for ACHS President

Tokie Laotan-Brown

About: Dr. Tokie Laotan-Brown is an accomplished Heritage Architect Consultant, researcher and academic with State University of New York, Cortland with extensive experience in critical heritage. She holds a Doctor of Science in Economics and Techniques for the Conservation of the Architectural and Environmental Heritage from the University of Nova Gorica and Università Iuav di Venezia, Italy and has dedicated her career to exploring the intersections of cultural heritage, sustainability, and community development. Dr. Laotan-Brown has published widely on these topics, contributing significantly to the academic discourse through both her research and active consultation in Africa. Her work is characterized by a commitment to inclusivity and innovation, aiming to make critical heritage accessible and relevant to diverse communities.

Statement: As a candidate for the ACHS presidency, I am driven by a deep commitment to advancing the field of critical heritage studies through collaborative, inclusive, and innovative approaches. I believe that by fostering a more interconnected and supportive global community of scholars, we can address the pressing challenges facing critical heritage today. My vision for ACHS is one where diversity is celebrated, interdisciplinary research is encouraged, and sustainable practices are prioritized. With my extensive experience and dedication to these values, I am confident in my ability to lead ACHS towards a future where critical heritage not only thrives but also enriches the lives of all people.

Candidate for ACHS Vice President – Chapters

Naomi Oosterman

About: With a background in criminology, cultural heritage, and social work, I can sincerely say that I embody the interdisciplinarity of theoretical traditions that are so vital for critical heritage studies. Equipped with more than a decade of professional and academic experience, I possess the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences and stakeholders, and raise awareness about contested heritage as an urgent topic in multiple fields. This is reflected with my successful support in setting up new chapters (Italy, Latin America and the Caribbean, South-Africa) and networks in the past two years.

Statement: Two years ago, one of my strong desires (and that of many of our members) was to strengthen engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean. With the recent establishment of the Latin America and Caribbean chapter, I am happy that this desire became a reality. My candidacy for Vice-President of Chapters is further motivated by the fact that I wish to contribute actively to the goals of ACHS: developing chapters with a regional focus but an interdisciplinary approach and provide possibilities to challenge “established” methodological conventions. I look forward to continuing my work on this for another term.

My career is characterised by a determination to create an interdisciplinary space of inquiry focusing on the illicit trade of antiquities, contested heritage, and decolonization; themes highly valued by ACHS. I have provided both early career and advanced researchers, as well as professionals, with the platforms to discuss, negotiate, and criticize topics related to cultural heritage, through developing conferences and summer schools. I am furthermore devoted to enhancing the voices of underrepresented regions and communities – specifically in Latin America – by providing platforms for engagement. As an ACHS EC member, most prominently with the development of a dedicated regional chapter.

Candidate for ACHS Vice President – Communications

Ali Mozaffari

About: Ali Mozaffari (https://heritageinwestasia.com/) is a Senior Fellow with the Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University. His primarily focuses on heritage politics and geopolitics of West Asia. He has been the recipient of an Australian Research Council (DECRA) grant in support of his research in this area. His books include Heritage Movements in Asia: Cultural Heritage Activism, Politics, and Identity (Berghahn 2020), Development, architecture and the formation of heritage in late-twentieth century Iran: A vital past (Manchester University Press 2020), World Heritage in Iran; Perspectives on Pasargadae (Routledge 2016). His forthcoming volume (co-edited with David Harvey, expected in 2024) examines the relationship between cultural heritage and constitution of borders. Mozaffari co-edits Berghahn’s Explorations in Heritage Studies series.

Statement: Due to my experience on the Executive Committee, I am well-versed in the digital platforms essential for communicating with our membership. This technical proficiency enables me to significantly enhance our communication strategy, contribute to our regular newsletters, and manage our social media effectively. Following discussions with the Executive Committee, I aim to expand the Association's reach by initiating dialogues that attract and engage individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

I am a suitable candidate for two main reasons. First, my strong academic background and focus overlaps with the interest of a significant portion of the ACHS membership—namely, the politics of heritage, built heritage, and heritage in international relations—aligns closely with the Association's focus and objectives, as evidenced by my publication record. Second, having already served one term, I have gained valuable insights into the workings and governance of the ACHS, positioning me well to serve and advance the Association’s strategic goals.

I am committed to the ACHS's core mission of promoting heritage as an area of critical and analytical inquiry. I pursue this commitment by focusing on international networks, engagement, and dissemination. My curriculum vitae demonstrates my alignment with this mission through my pursuit of interdisciplinary exchanges, my teaching and research activities, and my focus on geographies typically underrepresented in heritage studies, such as West Asia and the Middle East. My expertise is further evidenced by my public-facing articles and media interviews.

Candidate for ACHS Vice President – Membership

Carsten Wergin

About: I’m an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (HCTS), Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg (Germany). Since 2023, I have been chairperson of the German Association for Australian Studies (GASt) and, since 2022, serve on the executive committee of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS). My research is located at the intersection of heritage, culture and ecology, with regional foci in Australia, Europe and the wider Indian Ocean World. I’m the author of Tourism, Indigeneity, and the Importance of Place: Fighting for Heritage at Australia's Last Frontier (Lexington, 2023) and co-editor of Digitizing Heritage Transoceanic Connections between Australia and Europe (HeiUP, 2024). Further articles have been published in journals such as Ethnos; Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research; Anthropological Journal of European Cultures and Journal of Cultural Economy.

Statement: As anthropologist and transcultural studies scholar, I have a strong track-record of working in interdisciplinary environments within and beyond academia. Since 2023, I’m the chairperson of the German Association for Australian Studies (GASt) where I work with many international colleagues dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration. Since 2022, I serve on the executive committee of ACHS in the membership portfolio. This has involved anything from general membership services to the organization of international conferences and workshops, the launch of new social media content, as well as strategic decision-making for the association’s future development. As VP, I would very much like to continue this work with a focus on expanding the association and also strengthening internationalisation and networking among members. My aims are to further strengthen ACHS’s impact within and beyond academia through the support of members, in particular early and mid-career researchers and heritage practitioners working in the Global South.

Officers seeking re-election for another term

Candidate for ACHS Vice President – Conference

Standing for re-election

Myriam Joannette

About: Myriam Joannette, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Urban and Tourism Studies at the University of Quebec in Montreal and an associate researcher at the Canada Research Chair in Urban Heritage. Her research mainly focuses on the links between communities and heritage as a vector of development. She is particularly interested in the requalification of heritage buildings in urban space and their reuse as alternative creative spaces. Trained in tourism, she is also interested in tourist imaginaries as representations of urban and rural spaces. She co-edited the books Heritage and local development (PUQ, 2024) and Heritage communities (PUQ, 2019)

She is also involved in national and international organizations related to heritage and architecture, notably as vice-president-conference for the Association for Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) and the Association for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SÉAC). She is also a member of the Urban Planning Advisory Committee (CCU) of the southwest borough, in Montreal, Canada.

Statement: Conferences, whether virtual or face-to-face, are privileged moments of exchange between researchers, professionals and students. Having participated in the organization of many scientific conferences, including the ACHS 2016 conference in Montréal, I understand all the implications and the work involved. As VP Conference, I will continue to lend my support to future organizing teams to ensure that all ACHS members can seamlessly connect and share their research on ever more varied topics.

Candidate for ACHS Secretariat Officer

Standing for re-election

Jessica Mace

About: Jessica Mace, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Art History at the University of Toronto and is an Adjunct Professor in both the Department of Urban and Tourism Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal and the Graduate Programme in Visual Art and Art History at York University. Mace currently serves as the Secretariat Officer for the ACHS. She is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada and board member of the SSAC. Her recent publications include the book Territoires d’identité: Les villes de compagnie du Canada, (co-authored with Lucie K. Morisset, Montréal: Éditions Patrimonium, 2019), and the edited volumes Notions of Heritage (co-edited with Yujie Zhu, 2021) and Heritage Communities (co-edited with Myriam Joannette, 2019).

Statement: Trained in art and architectural history, my study of company towns has led to investigations into urban and industrial heritage, as well as other explorations in Critical Heritage Studies. In addition to working on the ACHS 2016 team, I have since co-organized two International Conferences of Young Researchers in Heritage: on heritage communities in 2017 (Montreal, Canada) and on the concepts of heritage in 2019 (Canberra, Australia).

As an experienced secretariat officer, and with four years’ experience in this role with the ACHS, my contribution will be to continue to support the president and the executive committee members. For the duration of my term, I intend to serve the executive and the members of the ACHS in a professional and transparent manner. I am organized, efficient, and also bilingual (English-French). I am ready to give back to an organization that means a lot to me (and to many others)!

As a member of the Executive Committee of the ACHS since 2018, I have gained familiarity with the operations of the Executive and by-laws. From 2014 to 2017, I was Secretary of the Society for the Study of Architecture. First elected to the board of that organization in 2011, I continue to serve the board/membership as the Editor in Chief of Architecture in Canada. I was also a member of the Organizing and Executive Committees of the ACHS 2016 conference in Montreal. With these experiences, I am comfortable and proficient in the role of Secretariat Officer, and with working as a team in a board setting.

It will be an honour to complete my term on the EC by serving the membership in this role.