Call for Papers Restauratorenblätter - Papers in Conservation 38

Responsibility & Sustainability – Verantwortung & Nachhaltigkeit

Volume 38 is dedicated to investigating the role and understanding of social, ecological and cultural
responsibility within the field of conservation. Sustainability is the central topic in our call for papers.
Sustainability is more than a mere catchword of our time. Following a common concept, it is based on the
three pillars of ecological, economical and social aspects. The German Commission for UNESCO has
recently stressed the importance of a further, the cultural, dimension, acting as initiator and driving force
for innovation within this triad.

The concept of sustainability is rooted deeply within the field of conservation. It is reflected in one of its
most basic ideas – long-term preservation. There is an increasing awareness of the importance of a more
environmentally friendly practice in conservation, museums and monument preservation. Safeguarding and
caring for artistic and cultural heritage and preserving memories involves a great social responsibility. It is a
responsibility that requires an appreciation #of the past and sustainable management strategies for the
present and future. Prerequisite should be a sensitive treatment of our environment, considering our cultural
milieu an integral part of our surroundings. Ever-changing values within a society are subconsciously
influencing decision-making processes and actions in cultural heritage preservation. Sustainable approaches
demand a more economical practice, using limited resources. In the next volume of the Restauratorenblätter –
Papers in Conservation, we would like to uncover and present such complexities and relationships, focusing on
the following aspects:

Ecological Responsibility – How can our practices and use of materials become more ecological? How
can museums and the field of monument preservation prepare to face the imminent climate crisis and
growing challenges involved? What are the new (sustainability-related) values of today?

Social Responsibility – How can conservation-restoration and associated disciplines contribute towards a
sustainable society with a high quality of living? How can we raise awareness for our work and better
represent the interests of a broader audience? Is our engagement in political affairs adequate? Which impact
do social aspects have on preservation strategies? What are the current social standards in the everyday
working life of restorers?

Cultural Responsibility – How do we proceed when dealing with objects from different ethic and/or
religious contexts in conservation practice? How are we facing challenges in handling sacral, culturally
sensitive or historically burdened objects? What are our responsibilities across and beyond national borders?
We welcome all kinds of contributions inspired by or connected to this topic – especially those with strong
practical relevance, concrete examples of initiatives or projects in conservation, heritage preservation, the
arts, cultural studies or natural sciences as well as interdisciplinary cooperations. What role do social
responsibility and sustainability play within ongoing or concluded projects? How can anyone contribute
towards embedding these values in future developments? What has been achieved to date?

We kindly invite authors to submit abstracts containing their work´s starting point, problem, essential
content, methods and (expected) results, in German or English (200-300 words). Please email your
submissions to redaktion@iic-austria.org until December 13, 2020.