CHS Leadership:

World Universities Network (WUN) Understanding Cultures Steering Group

UMass Amherst Representative (2015-2020) and Leader of the Steering Committee (2020)

As a consortium of 23 research universities from around the globe, the WUN brings partners together to tackle critical research issues in a transdisciplinary and international forum.  The Understanding Cultures Steering Group is one of the WUN’s Global Challenges, focused on understanding the consequences of globalisation for cultural identities.  Elizabeth Brabec, Director of the Center, sits on the Steering Group to assist in crafting the approaches and strategies that will guide the group each year.

For more information about the Understanding Cultures Steering Group of WUN, please click here …

For summaries of the WUN Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Understanding Cultures Steering Group meetings (UMass withdrew from the WUN Network in 2021):

2017

2018

  • Symposium – Cultures in Flux – Migration and Cultural Dynamics in the past and present, University of Western Australia, Perth, May 20-22.
  • Virtual Steering Group Meetings and minutes

2019

  • Symposium – Changing World and Changing Perspectives – is it possible to decolonize the UC Agenda and what would this mean? University College Dublin, May 19-20, Dublin.
  • Virtual Steering Group Meetings and Minutes

2020

  • Symposium – the symposium was postponed due to COVID

For more information about the projects the Center is or has been involved with, please click

1. for the 2017 UMass Amherst Center-led project “In-Herit: The Role of Heritage in Ontological Security during Migraton and Displacement;” and here for the Symposium proceedings resulting from the project;

2.  for the 2019 “Memorials to people missing who have died and to those missing during migration: a global project,” led by Ann Singleton, University of Bristol; UMass is a cooperating team member;

3. for the 2020 project “Climate-Induced Migration: Global Scope, Regional Impacts and National Policy Frameworks,” led by Andreas Neef, University of Auckland;

4. for the 2020 project “Gendering Migration: Women and Girls Experiences of Gender-based discrimination, abuse and violence across migratory stages,” led by  Katie Kuschminder, Maastricht University.

Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee

Non-federal Stakeholder (2015 to present)

The CHCC consists of 12 U.S. Government agencies, who coordinate U.S. government e­fforts to protect and preserve international cultural property at risk from political instability, armed conflict, and natural or other disasters. The Department of State established the CHCC in 2016 per the Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act (Public Law 114-151).

Click here to learn more about the CHCC …

Click here to read about the Center’s activities with the CHCC …

NAC CESU – North Atlantic Coast, Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Technical Representative (2016 to present)

The North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) engages federal agency scientists and managers, in collaboration with academic and other non-federal scientists and students, to engage in collaborative research partnerships addressing natural and cultural resource stewardship in the United States.  The Center for Heritage and Society is the representative for cultural resources issues  and projects through the CESU at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Click here to learn more about the CESU…

Click below to learn more about the Center’s Projects through the CESU at

Fort Stanwix National Monument and

Mount Rushmore National Memorial ….

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