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By the 1980s, Dutch politicians had begun to acknowledge the climate change problem and took the international lead in political agenda-setting. Yet, the Netherlands cannot be seen as a climate hero. When the government has acted, it has favoured ‘positive’ measures appreciated by industry, such as creating subsidies for more ‘sustainable’ oil refineries through technofixes, retaining €30 billion in annual fossil subsidies, and seeking to speed the process for obtaining new drilling licenses for North Sea gas fields. This chapter provides evidence that high-emitting industries and state actors have significantly obstructed mitigation regulations from the 1980s to the present using tactics of climate denial, doubt mongering, and lobbying. The Dutch history of climate governance is therefore one of great ambitions dashed by these efforts but also partly systemic, the effect of the strong dependencies and alignments that have long existed between the Dutch state and its fossil fuel industry.

Sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) has become one of the standard applications in the field of paleogenomics in recent years. It has been used for paleoenvironmental reconstructions, detecting the presence of prehistoric species in the absence of macro remains and even investigating the evolutionary history of a few species. However, its application in archaeology has been limited and primarily focused on humans. This article argues that sedaDNA holds significant potential in addressing key archaeological questions concerning the origins, lifestyles, and environments of past human populations. Our aim is to facilitate the integration of sedaDNA into the standard workflows in archaeology as a transformative tool, thereby unleashing its full potential for studying the human past. Ultimately, we not only underscore the challenges inherent in the sedaDNA field but also provide a research agenda for essential enhancements needed for implementing sedaDNA into the archaeological workflow.

This article analyses the reconstruction efforts of Russian heritage scholars and institutions in Palmyra, Syria. There is little doubt that the financial opportunities provided by the Kremlin for the reconstruction of the war-damaged World Heritage site can be analyzed as propaganda directed at foreign audiences. Drawing on ethnographic and historical research on world heritage politics, this article contextualizes reconstruction efforts as part of a Russian cultural diplomacy goal that promotes the need for a multipolar world. The article also draws attention to the limits of describing Russian heritage reconstruction efforts as foremost international propaganda. The argument is that reconstruction efforts by Russia are deeply connected to domestic and international politics, propagating the Kremlin’s grand narrative that portrays Putin as a leader of a global power that reclaims its status in the international arena. This signifies the increasing endeavors of states to utilize cultural assets for political and legitimation ends.

By the 1980s, Dutch politicians had begun to acknowledge the climate change problem and took the international lead in political agenda-setting. Yet, the Netherlands cannot be seen as a climate hero. When the government has acted, it has favoured ‘positive’ measures appreciated by industry, such as creating subsidies for more ‘sustainable’ oil refineries through technofixes, retaining €30 billion in annual fossil subsidies, and seeking to speed the process for obtaining new drilling licenses for North Sea gas fields. This chapter provides evidence that high-emitting industries and state actors have significantly obstructed mitigation regulations from the 1980s to the present using tactics of climate denial, doubt mongering, and lobbying. The Dutch history of climate governance is therefore one of great ambitions dashed by these efforts but also partly systemic, the effect of the strong dependencies and alignments that have long existed between the Dutch state and its fossil fuel industry.

Europeana is a digital infrastructure aggregating the most extensive collection of cultural heritage data in Europe. Launched in 2008, it has enjoyed the political and financial support of the European Union and its member states, becoming the most ambitious and financed digital cultural project to date. For this reason, Europeana is an outstanding example of how the European Commission has used digital heritage platforms to pursue its cultural agenda. Nevertheless, the social and cultural implications of this digital infrastructure are still understudied. Following Europeana’s evolution, this article explores Europeana’s role in transforming the cultural sector and defining a European digital cultural policy. Analysing how the goals of the EU cultural policy have been implemented in the development of Europeana, this article reveals how Europeana has been instrumental in steering the digitisation of the European cultural sector through the development of standards and best practices. Furthermore, through digital heritage curation, Europeana plays a critical role in producing the narrative of a European past, promoting the construction of European citizenship.

How does corporate sponsorship shape the narration and curation of Dutch history in public museums? This article evaluates the significance and impact of private funding in the Dutch heritage and museum sector. By focusing on three museums that have received funding from Dutch oil and gas companies we foreground specifically the nexus heritage, oil, and funding. We show how a particular type of ‘energy literacy’ is promoted, a narrative that is favourable to the agenda of the gas and oil sector. Our explorations are based on interviews with museum officials, an analysis of policy documents, and a close reading of exhibitions. By describing the impact of oil and gas money on the Dutch heritage sector, this article charts the growing influence of corporate players in the Dutch public cultural sector. Following neoliberal reforms in 2011-2012 promoting cultural entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency, museums and heritage sites had to act even more like businesses and attract sponsorships and gifts from private players. This development is part of a global retraction of the state in the public sector. Our discussion of the intricacies of corporate heritage funding in the Netherlands shows that through a fairly limited investment, enterprises acquire disproportionate outreach and influence in the cultural heritage field, an environment that is generally perceived by the public as reliable and independent.

Purpose Over a century of state-sponsored construction of monuments, historic mythmaking and nationalist framings of WWI has ensured that it has become notoriously difficult to present the heritage of the Great War in an inclusive and non-selective way. In this paper the authors present a strategy and technology-driven solutions to overcome the selective heritage curation of modern conflict. Design/methodology/approach Building on a suite of tools, applications and cultural heritage management plans developed by the In Flanders Fields Museum (IFFM), this paper explores the challenges of preserving and curating conflict heritage. The authors investigate the philosophy, cultural heritage management strategies and exhibitions used to curate the heritage of the Ypres Salient (Belgium). Findings The paper argues that historical aerial photographs integrated in multimedia exhibits present themselves as a fascinating source bringing the landscape within the walls of the museum. Mobile augmented reality (AR) applications developed by the museum go one step beyond and bring museum techniques to the landscape. Research limitations/implications This paper presents a strategy to present, manage and curate the entirety of conflict heritage from the modern period. Faced with growing politicisation and memorialisation of modern conflict, it is extremely important that inclusive heritage management and curation is insured. The reflections on different curatorial techniques used by the IFFM can contribute globally towards a better heritage engagement. Practical implications An innovative and meaningful framework enables a more historically nuanced visitor experience to key heritage sites throughout the Ypres Salient. Social implications Ensuring a non-selective heritage experience is especially pressing today. Over the past century canonised and national narratives have prescribed our understanding of the First Wor