Joshua Pollarine, Research Historian, Historical Research Associates, Inc.
Proposal Type
Roundtable
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
Related Topics
- Civic Engagement
- Preservation
Abstract
The participants in this roundtable will discuss their experiences as professional historians participating in public debates about historic preservation and the complications that can arise. Potential topics include civic responsibilities v. personal ideals, dealing with highly politicized historic preservation issues, maintaining neutrality, and keeping separation between your public role and your employment. Do public historians outside of academia face more challenges than academic historians? As public historians, do we have a duty to participate in such debates? What are the moral or ethical considerations of a public historian who chooses to advocate for preservation?
Seeking
We are seeking panelists who have participated in local historic preservation debates, as members of citizen advisory boards or in other roles. Joshua Pollarine of Historical Research Associates, Inc., will be one of the panelists. He is a member of the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission, a citizen advisory board, that is currently reviewing a developer’s application to demolish a major historic building in Missoula. We would like to find others who have faced similar challenges balancing their roles as citizen advisers and public historians.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to share contact information for other people the proposer should reach out to, please get in contact directly: Joshua Pollarine
If you have general ideas or feedback to share please feel free to use the comments feature below.
All feedback, and offers of assistance, should be submitted by July 3, 2016.