Dr. Christian Ernsten

Biography

Christian Ernsten is an Assistant Professor in Heritage Studies in the Department of History of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University. He is the program director for the Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science, and Technology (CAST) and has affiliations with the Maastricht Experimental Research Arts Network (MERIAN). His expertise includes Colonial Heritage, Circularity, Urban Heritage, and Landscape Heritage. Prior to joining Maastricht University, Christian worked as a lecturer in Cultural Heritage at the Reinwardt Academy, Amsterdam University of Arts. He holds a PhD from the University of Cape Town and received his MA from the University of Groningen with distinction, as well as an MPhil with distinction from the University of Cape Town. His research has been published in notable journals such as Archaeologies, the International Journal of Heritage Studies, and Urban Forum. He has held visiting research fellowships at the Conservation Department of the University of Gothenburg, the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis at the University of Amsterdam, and the Centre for Uses of the Past at Aarhus University. Additionally, Christian directed the Amsterdam-based design action collective Partizan Publik and was involved in the Amsterdam 4-5 committee, coordinating WWII commemorative events in the city. He also worked as an editor for Volume magazine, a quarterly publication on architecture and visual culture founded by Rem Koolhaas.

Research Interests