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  • What to Save and Why: Identity, Authenticity, and the Ethics of Conservation

    What to Save and Why by Matthes, Erich Hatala;

    Identity, Authenticity, and the Ethics of Conservation

      • GET 10% OFF

      • The discount is only available for 'Alert of Favourite Topics' newsletter recipients.
      • Publisher's listprice GBP 18.99
      • The price is estimated because at the time of ordering we do not know what conversion rates will apply to HUF / product currency when the book arrives. In case HUF is weaker, the price increases slightly, in case HUF is stronger, the price goes lower slightly.

        9 072 Ft (8 640 Ft + 5% VAT)
      • Discount 10% (cc. 907 Ft off)
      • Discounted price 8 165 Ft (7 776 Ft + 5% VAT)

    9 072 Ft

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    Availability

    Estimated delivery time: Expected time of arrival: end of January 2026.
    Not in stock at Prospero.

    Why don't you give exact delivery time?

    Delivery time is estimated on our previous experiences. We give estimations only, because we order from outside Hungary, and the delivery time mainly depends on how quickly the publisher supplies the book. Faster or slower deliveries both happen, but we do our best to supply as quickly as possible.

    Product details:

    • Publisher OUP USA
    • Date of Publication 23 January 2025

    • ISBN 9780197744550
    • Binding Hardback
    • No. of pages240 pages
    • Size 185x137x27 mm
    • Weight 318 g
    • Language English
    • 623

    Categories

    Short description:

    What does a sanctuary for Hawaiian crows have in common with a troop of robots programmed to perform the M?ori haka, or recreations of World Heritage Sites built in Minecraft? They are all attempts to save things from loss, disappearance, or destruction. Every one of us is confronted by questions about what to save, whether we're considering old keepsakes, a family tradition, or a local park. What should we save and why? How and from what? By whom and for whom? This book brings together insights from a wide range of contexts to help readers consider these questions for themselves.

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    Long description:

    What does a sanctuary for Hawaiian crows have in common with a troop of robots programmed to perform the M?ori haka, or recreations of World Heritage Sites built in Minecraft?

    A family heirloom. An endangered species. An ancient piece of pottery. A threatened language. These things differ in myriad ways, but they are tied together by a common thread: they are all examples of things that call out to be saved. The world is brimming with things worth saving, and we have limited time and resources. How do we decide what to save? Why do we make these choices?

    Philosopher Erich Hatala Matthes explores these questions as they surface in radically diverse contexts--from museums to TikTok, and from National Parks to the corner of your attic. Matthes illustrates the deep relationship between the things we might save and our sense of self. If our cares and concerns are a fundamental part of our identity, then what we care for and preserve will play a significant role in shaping and maintaining our understanding of who we are. In a world in which everything that we care about is subject to powerful forces of change--from climate disturbance and armed conflict, to social transformation and the wear and tear of time--the terms on which we confront change will be key to whether and how we can save the things we care about in the ways that really matter to us. Will change be foisted upon us? Or is there a role for us to play in rejecting, influencing, or managing change? As he explores these questions, Matthes tackles related themes such as authenticity, agency, and appropriation: Who exactly should be responsible for saving things, and on whose behalf should such efforts be pursued? These are all essential elements to a fuller understanding of what to save and why.

    Whether you're cleaning out a closet or rethinking your city's public monuments, decisions about what to keep and what to toss are hard. Matthes' calm, clear book leads us around entrenched positions to point out new, creative, and generous paths forward in discussions about preservation. As we prepare to tackle our national attics, stuffed with oppressive symbols and unethically collected artifacts, we are lucky to have Matthes as a guide.

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    Table of Contents:

    1. Introduction
    2. From Heirlooms to Tacos: What Should We Save?
    3. From Wilderness to Pottery: Why Should We Save Things?
    4. From Climate Change to Colonialism: From What Should We Save Things?
    5. From Language Revitalization to Digital Replication: How Should We Save Things?
    6. From Appropriation to Participation: By Whom Should Things Be Saved?
    7. From Ourselves to Future Generations: For Whom Should We Save Things?
    Index

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