Paper short abstract

I analyse how the growth of UNESCO World Heritage into a major global brand has spawned a new domain of systematised knowledge and the corresponding web of institutions. How did this evolve, and how much influence does knowledge - as against "dumb power" - really have in World Heritage decisions?

Paper long abstract

The recent development of UNESCO World Heritage, the most influential arena of heritage preservation today, has been one of tremendous growth in all respects, and global attention demands well-founded and coherent decisions. Therefore, rules, categories, procedures and standards have greatly evolved, particularly since the 1990s, and are now the subject of specialised university studies. To a Foucauldian notion of governmentality, the steady elaboration of this new knowledge domain - that, through its influence on national heritage systems, appears to be the globally most homogenising consequence of World Heritage - is unsurprising. "Dumb power" that cares little for the carefully crafted expert terms and systems, however, continues to play a significant role, and the 2010 Committee session in Brasilia saw what could be termed a standoff between the two modes. Based on participant observation of statutory meetings, interviews with key players, and an analysis of the vast documentary record, I will explore how much power knowledge really has in the World Heritage system.