D8: Tūhono and the Authorised Heritage Discourse: Revisiting Uses of Heritage
Tracks
8
| Monday, November 30, 2026 |
| 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM |
| RH205 |
Overview
Stream: Relationality and the Legacy of Uses of Heritage
Paper / Session Submitter
Dr Bryan Viray
Research Officer And Sessional Lecturer
The Australian National University
Tūhono and the Authorised Heritage Discourse: Revisiting Uses of Heritage
Summary Abstract
Marking the 20th anniversary of Laurajane Smith’s Uses of Heritage, we propose a curated session exploring the relational dynamics of heritage and its ongoing impact on our research and practice. This session examines how Authorised Heritage Discourse remains a relevant heuristic device for understanding heritage’s intersections with identity, power, emotion, and community participation. Xie explores how a small expert circle shapes World Heritage nomination norms in China, tracing the institutionalisation of AHD within China’s heritage bureaucracy. Viray examines the AHD’s impact in the Philippines, questioning how Intangible Cultural Heritage relationalities contest or reinforce dominant narratives. Liu critiques community participation in China’s heritage practices, highlighting procedural constraints on legitimate voices. Sun analyses how pain is curated at the Lvshun Russo-Japanese Prison Museum, shaping emotional publics and national grievance. This dialogue seeks to foster a space for sharing personal and academic reflections, pushing the boundaries of critical heritage studies.
Biographies
Bryan Levina Viray recently completed his PhD at the Research School of Humanities and the Arts, Australian National University.
Dr. Jieyi Xie is Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Shue Yan University. Situated in critical heritage studies, her work explores how cultural value is made, mobilized, and governed through the World Heritage regime.
Jingjie Liu is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies, Australian National University. Her research interests are urban regeneration, heritage, community, and discourse.
Beixi Sun is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool, and is based at the Department of Urban Planning and Design, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. Her research focuses on colonial prison heritage in China, authorised heritage discourse, and the politics of memory.
