Dr. Khaldun Bshara participates in International Congress on Colonial and Postcolonial Landscapes

Dr. Khaldun Bshara, professor at the Department of Social and Behavioral Science, participated in the II International Congress on Colonial and Postcolonial Landscapes: Architecture, Colonialism and War held in Lisbon, Portugal, on January 18-20, 2023.

The congress explored the dynamics of occupation in colonial territories, especially those related to war efforts. This includes architecture and urbanism as well as military regimes and their repercussions in newly independent territories. The congress also questioned how colonial infrastructure, including housing production during armed conflicts, conditions the current development models of newly independent countries.

Dr. Bshara presented his paper “Similar but Not the Same: Heritage in Palestine and Reconciliation from Within” during a session on the architecture of repair. He argued that, under colonialism, heritage conservation and rehabilitation are considered a source of empowerment as architectural heritage highlights Palestinian identity. By accentuating the aesthetics and utility of heritage buildings, historical sites become spaces for knowledge production in history, geography, geology, society, economy and politics as well as a key factor in nation-building, especially in light of oppressive colonial measures and the absence of a strong central Palestinian authority.