From Data Collection to Praxis: Heritage Conservation Fieldwork in the Twenty-first Century

Fieldwork in heritage conservation research and teaching encompasses a broad array of activities, from architectural surveys and materials conservation to stakeholder workshops and digital mapping. It is the translational space where research questions and desired impact, value systems, and interpretations are generated. It is the space and moment of interaction, reflection, and analysis among practitioners, scholars, communities, and stakeholders. Fieldwork integrated into the wider process of conservation practice and has changed from a way to collect data and codify significance to the medium to facilitate impact and value for heritage resources. It now provides impact beyond the traditional divide of basic and applied research in the academy. Fieldwork in heritage conservation is now rooted in praxis.

This article argues that in the twenty-first century, fieldwork must fulfill that role of collaboratively bringing capacity to heritage stakeholders by adopting an applied research and outreach agenda. It is only through these means that heritage conservation remains relevant.