The Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture (AHM) invites scholars, practitioners, artists, and activists to reflect on what decolonial approaches have disrupted, dismantled, and dreamt anew—and to critically assess their strengths, limitations, and futures.
Unsettling Heritage and Memory Futures - Decolonial Trajectories Between Crisis and Possibility
Decoloniality is not merely an academic lens but a profound reorientation of knowledge and power. While rooted in twentieth-century South American scholarship, decoloniality now inspires a generation of scholarship and social movements. After years of vibrant scholarship and activism, we stand at a pivotal juncture. The Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture (AHM) invites scholars, practitioners, artists, and activists to reflect on what decolonial approaches have disrupted, dismantled, and dreamt anew—and to critically assess their strengths, limitations, and futures. As resurgent nationalisms and neocolonial forces challenge gains made in diversifying heritage institutions, democratising memory practices, and centring marginalised voices, how do we sustain decolonial futures that remain precarious? This international conference examines decoloniality as a transformative praxis that reshapes our engagement with heritage, memory, and material culture. We seek contributions that bridge theory and practice, addressing both the generative possibilities and the ethical impasses emerging from decolonial work.
This interdisciplinary gathering will foster dialogue through individual papers, themed panels, and roundtable discussions across diverse geographical contexts. The Organising Committee invites submissions from established scholars, early-career researchers, PhD candidates, professionals, civil society organisations, artists, and activists. We especially welcome voices from the Global South and underrepresented regions, aiming to move beyond critique toward concrete strategies for sustaining decolonial transformation worldwide.
Themes of this conference include, but are not limited to:
- Socio-Political Dimensions of Decoloniality
- Heritage Management and Sustainability
- Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Societal Recovery
- Museum and Memorial Practices
- Restitution and Repatriation
- Community Engagement with Tangible and Intangible Heritage
- Contested Memories and Competing Narratives
- Peace and Conflict Studies
- AI and Digital Heritage Tools
- Materiality and Material Culture
- The Politics of Terminology, Time, and Identity
The conference will be held in-person at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), University Theatre, between 17-19 June, 2026.
Applications should include
– Author name(s) and affiliation(s)
– Email address
– Paper, panel, or roundtable title
– Abstract (250 words)
For panel and roundtable proposals, please include the names, affiliations, and abstracts of each participant.
Please submit your abstract (in English) as a Word document or PDF via email to our conference email: ahmannualconference@gmail.com
Proposals can be submitted by 27 March 2026 (mid-night Central European Time) to ahmannualconference@gmail.com
The notification of acceptance will be sent by mid-April 2026. The Organising Committee will invite some of the accepted papers to submit full papers (6000-7000 words) to be published as part of a special issue at the international peer-reviewed journal of Heritage, Memory and Conflict (Amsterdam University Press). The deadline for the full paper will be communicated later.