AHRC DCMS Fellowship - Sofya Shahab
Lead Research Organisation:
Institute of Development Studies
Department Name: Grants Administration Office
Abstract
Each fellowship will last up to 13.5 months to cover a three-month inception phase for set up activity, followed by a six to nine month placement with the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS), and concluding with an impact phase lasting up to six weeks. Fellows will co-design projects and activities with DCMS and produce analysis to inform government decision making across a range of policy priorities. Fellows will also engage across DCMS, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers. This will be supported through their embedded role within DCMS, including line management support.
| Description | The research undertaken for DCMS during the Fellowship examined the role of DCMS/the British Council's Cultural Protection fund with regards to meeting different UK government strategies as set out within the Integrated Review, International Development Strategy and Overseas Development Assistance Objectives. The study found that through the CPF, the UK has become a world leader in international cultural heritage protection, by investing in initiatives that put peoples at the heart of heritage. This has meant that, alongside successfully preserving unique and valuable cultural heritage for future generations, the CPF has positioned the UK as a force for good in promoting fundamental rights and the welfare of peoples and communities in fragile and conflict affected contexts across the Middle East and North and East Africa. This has been achieved through partnerships and community based approaches that foreground local knowledges and capacities, as well as the mandatory inclusion of societal and economic indicators within the projects. As a result, CPF projects directly contribute towards UK government development objectives as specified within the Integrated Review, Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) objectives and International Development Strategy (IDS). Cultural heritage programming has subsequently proved to be an effective and sensitive mode of working across these core agendas in areas that would often be hard to access and operate. With regards to UK government priorities established within the Integrated Review, alongside operating as a force for good in promoting goodwill and contributing to the UK's international standing, the International Cultural Heritage Protection (ICHP) programmes - the largest of which is the CPF - serves to promote human rights and democracy across the international contexts in which they operate. This is because, by recognising, preserving and celebrating diverse heritages, particularly those associated with minority and marginalised groups, the CPF projects have forged spaces of pluralism that work to combat discrimination and exclusion. This is especially significant given the connections between cultural destruction and ethnic cleansing, where the eradication of heritage often acts as a precursor to and component of human genocide. Furthermore, the operational model of the CPF foregrounds sustainability in working alongside local communities, national and state bodies, and funding networks. This has been strengthened by long term support and commitment of the CPF that enables projects to develop multi-phase interventions that deliver enhanced development and humanitarian impacts for communities which are embedded within local and national frameworks. Culture and heritage are core aspects of diverse and creative economies. ICHP programmes and the Cultural Protection Fund have worked in the fields of poverty reduction, and decent work and economic growth in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 8. This has been through livelihoods and skills development opportunities within the heritage sector that help to build peoples' and communities' resilience to economic, social and environmental shocks by generating and diversifying income opportunities. Beyond poverty reduction and financial measures of welfare, development has now come to encompass a more holistic approach that recognises wellbeing and quality of life. This relates to factors such as 'health, autonomy, security, competence and relatedness, the satisfaction of which at a basic level enhances objective well-being everywhere'. While there has been an implicit understanding of the contribution cultural heritage makes with regards to wellbeing and its role in enriching lives and environments, within the projects included in this study, the connections forged through heritage and the role they play in enhancing mental health, agency, motivation and social cohesion are foregrounded. As such, ICHP programmes directly fall within the UK government's ODA objectives in relation to economic development and welfare. Two core aspects of the International Development Strategy that were emphasised within ICHP programmes were open societies and conflict resolution, as well as humanitarian preparedness. This has been achieved through the function of heritage in gathering peoples and facilitating connections and understanding between them, contributing to respect and acceptance. In the face of conflicts which seek to divide communities, when locally driven and undertaken sensitively with thorough knowledge of the context and dynamics, heritage can become a means through which solidarity is established and social cohesion strengthened. Additionally, by drawing upon traditional mechanisms for justice and reconciliation, heritage can also be used to facilitate conflict resolution. With regards to humanitarian preparedness, as well as building resilience, ICHP programmes and the CPF have supported initiatives that ensure cultural heritage protection is included within rapid response frameworks, so that it remains and can be used as a source of strength to help rebuild in the midst and aftermath of emergencies. To build on the work already undertaken and further enhance the potential of heritage as a 'force for good' the report recommends focusing on three key areas: 1. Heritage for development - ICHP has predominantly been positioned as part of the UK's soft power, however by prioritising and emphasising the impacts of heritage preservation for communities and the modalities through which preservation is undertaken, there would be a greater focus on the outcomes of heritage projects in relation to FCDO development objectives. This would assist in making a stronger and more measurable case as to the wider importance of heritage preservation, as well as recognising its intrinsic value for societies. As the main mechanism for the UK to deliver on international cultural protection, expanding the current ICHP team would help to maximise the potential of ICHP and synergies with other government departments and objectives, and to enable expertise within the current team to be fully realised. 2. Research and network building - through partnerships with both the British Council and Arts and Humanities Research Council, ICHP and the CPF have been enhancing understandings of best practice in relation to heritage preservation and protection. However, opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and further research on areas including heritage and migration, heritage and psychosocial services and intangible cultural heritage in humanitarian contexts would enable greater focus and knowledge of the role of heritage in addressing global challenges. While a majority of ICHP funding is currently channelled effectively through the British Council and the CPF, additional funds would enable the UK to become more prominent in delivering on cultural heritage protection and to increase contributions to multilateral initiatives establishing greater influence and leadership through broader partnerships on heritage preservation. 3. Increased localisation - the CPF has paved the way for community-based heritage programming. This could be expanded by providing funded inception periods for local organisations and incorporating heritage and indigenous knowledges and practices within application and reporting processes. This may include expanding languages and including visual and oral, as well as written submissions. Cultural heritage is of intrinsic importance to our lives and relationships, however in ensuring those values are preserved, heritage can also be a tool for building resilient futures for communities and individuals in the present, and a unique mechanism for addressing current global challenges related to sustainable development and human rights. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes from the award will be carried forward in 3 core ways: 1. By the DCMS International Cultural Heritage Team to connect the work they are doing through the CPF to other UK government departments and initiatives and to strengthen proposals during spending reviews to the FCDO and Treasury. 2. By participants in the research , the British Council and Cultural Protection Fund projects as some of the methods utilised and shared during the Fellowship have been carried forward and employed by these organisations in their own work. Additionally the findings may be drawn upon to strengthen future proposals and programming they are developing. 3. The networks and connections established through the Fellowship which will ensure strong and ongoing links between government, practitioners and scholars. |
| Sectors | Government Democracy and Justice Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| Description | British Council Cultural Protection Fund and Research and Insights Initiative |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Through the DCMS Fellowship I have formed a collaboration with the British Council to assist in their evaluation and understanding of the impacts of their projects - predominantly the Cultural Protection Fund - on wellbeing and human rights among project participants. I am also assisting in evidencing and communicating the impacts of their work to government stakeholders and considerations for future projects relating to international cultural heritage protection. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The British Council have contributed to the Fellowship by inputting into the design of the research project, sharing knowledge and evidence from past research and evaluations and supporting the data collection through interviews with BC staff and connecting me to CPF/BC partners. The British Council were also society partners on another grant application to the Belmont Forum related to climate change and heritage. |
| Impact | Invited participation in the 'What Works?' Learning Gathering in Kenya Written and verbal feedback on research report (awaiting publication) BC attendance at the Report Launch and online research findings events Invited to deliver a webinar to BC staff on the Fellowship, research and approach as part of the BC research community of practice. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Coventry University Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations |
| Organisation | Coventry University |
| Department | Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Working alongside colleagues from the On Our Land projects I have acted as the point person with DCMS to coordinate with the International Cultural Heritage Protection Team regarding a proposed high level roundtable to bring together experts in the field to develop a set of guidelines regarding the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage during conflict to coincide with the UK's recent ratification of the UNESCO convention. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Colleagues at Coventry have led on submitting the proposal to secure for funding for the event and organising a panel in which I will participate at the British International Studies Association annual conference in June 2024. |
| Impact | Acceptance of a panel at the BISA annual conference and submission of a funding proposal to Coventry University, DCMS and the British Council. Co-authored blog for IDS website on Environmental Humanitarianism and Heritage |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | British Council Kenya 'What Works?' Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Invited participation at the British Council's 'What Works?' 3 day Workshop in Kenya a learning gathering to support better outcomes for cultural heritage protection and local communities by exploring the best mechanisms and approaches to working together and to sharing information, research and understanding. Along with participating in discussions during the event and sharing research and expertise from the Fellowship I was an expert panelist for the session on cultural heritage and soft power. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | British Council Research Community of Practice Webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The webinar consisted of a presentation and then discussion with Ian Thomas (Head of Arts Research) to share the fellowship's main findings, discuss my use of a grounded theory and participatory approach, and reflect on the process of engaging with the British Council through the period of my fellowship and the role that research fellowships might play for the British Council in supporting more knowledge exchange with the academic and policy communities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | British Council and Cultural Protection Fund Grantees Research Findings Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | An online presentation followed by open discussion which shared the research findings from the Fellowship with colleagues at the British Council and Cultural Protection Fund grantees who participated in the research, in order to receive their feedback on the research and as a validation mechanism. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | IDS blog on environmental and heritage impacts of the conflict in Gaza |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Co-authored blog with colleagues from Coventry University detailing and raising awareness of some of the potential environmental implications of the conflict in Gaza and potential learnings from Palestinian heritage that may be used in addressing this. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ids.ac.uk/opinions/environmental-humanitarianism-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territories... |
| Description | Presentation to British Council Cultural Protection Team |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation providing an overview of the Fellowship and the research project and approaches to members of the Cultural Protection Team at the British Council and discussion of how the research might be of most use to them in informing work going forwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation to DCMS Arts, Heritage and Tourism Directorate |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A presentation to DCMS colleagues on the Fellowship aims and objectives, as well as the research project relating to how heritage contributes to the UK's soft power and international human rights agenda. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Research Findings Presentation to DCMS Cultural Diplomacy and Chief Scientific Advisors Office |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Hybrid presentation online and in DCMS of Fellowship research findings to members of the Cultural Diplomacy and Chief Scientific Advisor's Office who were unable to make the Whitehall Report Launch event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Research Report Launch Event - Recognising Heritage for Human Rights and Development |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The Whitehall in person event brought together stakeholders from the British Council's Cultural Protection Fund, AHRC, DCMS International Cultural Heritage and Cultural Diplomacy teams, FCDO's MENA desk, Historic England's international team to share the research findings from the Fellowship around the value of international heritage protection programming in relation to human rights and development and to build further support among policymakers for continued funding. The event consisted of a photographic and video exhibition, presentation of the research and roundtable discussion to refine the recommendations, as well as UK action in relation to heritage programming in Palestine given the events of October 7th. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |