University of Amsterdam, October 26-30, 2026
Jewish heritage is at once vulnerable, politically charged, and a valuable resource – it therefore requires a close integration of scholarly research and practical modes of mediation that involves multiple stakeholders, scholars, practitioners, politicians, and communities. This conference brings together researchers, museum and education practitioners, representatives from the tourism sector and cultural policy, and civil-society actors to discuss best-practice models for the care, (re)presentation, and critical contextualization of Jewish heritage.
The emphasis is on applied research approaches that inform and evaluate concrete formats of interpretation, conservation strategies, and participatory projects. We seek to consolidate perspectives on the representation of Jewish heritage within cultural institutions, educational programs, and political debates, as well as on the political responsibilities incumbent on cultures of memory. A central concern is the contemporaneity of Jewish heritage: how do collections, memorial sites, museums, the everyday practices of intangible Jewish heritage, and interpretive programs address current societal challenges? How, and to what ends, is Jewish history – understood here in terms of entangled history – staged and instrumentalized? In this context, the relationship between Jewish culture/heritage and national cultural policy is of particular importance. This approach enables comparative insights into differing national heritage practices across Europe.
Another objective of the conference is to promote practice-oriented knowledge transfer: improving exchange between academic research and non-university institutions, and elaborating concrete recommendations for policy makers, museums, educational bodies, and community-led initiatives. We also invite contributions that critically explore the prevalent notion that the mediation of Jewish heritage inherently reduces or prevents antisemitism, and that instead seek to identify the conditions under which such mediation can be effective, legitimate, and socially responsible.
