Friday 8 May, 2026 - Saturday 9 May, 2026
In person symposium at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research and online.
Register to attend online here.
Ontological security provides individuals, communities and societies with modes of survival during periods of political, social, economic, and cultural upheaval. Heritage offers reassurance of belonging, identity, and a shared past, which are essential for ensuring a hopeful future.
We invited contributions for this two-day conference focused on the topic of heritage and ontological security and how it relates to ideas of reconciliation and commemoration. Our emphasis will be on resilience, a sense of belonging to a place and/or community, and well-being as integral components of emotional and physical safety. The topics we invite the participants to focus on are, identity, belongings, shared past reconciliation and commemoration.
This year the CHRC is joining forces with the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures. The symposium (CHS26) will be supported by the Sasakawa Foundation, The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, The Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee and the A.G. Leventis Foundation.
This event is a collaboration between the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre, the University of Cambridge and the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.
The symposium is generously supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee.