HASP Journals (Univ. Heidelberg)
Not a member yet
24880 research outputs found
Sort by
Hydro-diversity: A Waterscape Model of the Medieval Western Indian City
Get PDFIn monsoon-dependent South Asia, harvesting and managing water is a necessity. Thus, monuments and modified landscapes related to irrigation, water storing and water worship represent a large share of Indian architectural heritage. Yet, this rich corpus and its attached hydrological knowledge awaits full recognition: thus far, documentation and studies focus on the most visible elements, especially stepwells, tanks and other dug facilities. Hydro-structures are generally considered in an isolated manner and lack contextualisation. Following the observations of English chaplain Edward Terry (1590–1660), this paper aims to explore the relationship between the medieval Indian city and the presence of monumental, often religiously connoted, hydraulic constructions. Based on archaeological and historical data, the paper proposes a fresh look at the hydraulic elements in the larger context of the city. The main argument rehabilitates the artificial lake and underlines its crucial function in plain regions that depend on a sufficient refilling of aquifers. In Western India, the typical city of the Solanki and later the Vaghela and the Muzaffarid dynasties had access to a broad variety of water sources capable of meeting the needs of multiple religious and secular activities (hydro-diversity). This generous waterscape and its multifaceted developments reflect on functions of sociability and religiosity in the city. Water here appears as an essential identity marker of urbanity
Tensions in Local-Global Production of Tourist Spaces in Vietnam: Heritage, Global Flows, and Local Identities
No full textThis research note examines the relations between mobility, urban heritage, and locality in Vietnam. The main research question is: Can heritage preservation function as a decolonization project, or does it re-establish structures of internal coloniality? We analyze data on Hội An and Tam Đảo regarding narratives, appropriation, and consumption practices and link our findings to larger processes of decolonization. The paper argues that urban heritage preservation can function as a decolonization project, promoting emancipation for parts of Vietnamese society. While heritage is perceived as inherently local, its production often leads to a transfer of ownership from local communities to the national and international levels. However, due to globalized flows of knowledge, aspirations, and power in the tourist sector, it simultaneously re-establishes structures of internal coloniality in Vietnamese society. The emerging interface between global flows and local aspiration creates a landscape of spatial consumption, undermining local ownership of urban heritage space and alienating locals
