Power, Politics, Laws and the Management of Archaeological Heritage. An experience from Madrid

Abstract

Spain has been one of the leading countries in the expansion of commercial archaeology. Seen as the least-bad option at the political moment when it was set, the framing law for heritage was not even close to the reality that was about to happen. After the ratification of the La Valetta Convention in 2011, a group of professionals decided to move forward, towards a new regulatory framework in Madrid. The process has been intense and led to a new law, but nothing close to what was expected. Political interests, corruption, responsibility, contestation and a surprisingly innocuous end mark this “story” about the latest legislative process for archaeological heritage in Madrid. This paper will expose the whole process of the latest heritage law in Madrid from the first consultations to the first full year of application, after the Constitutional Court voided about 20% of it. In the process, this paper will explore in a transversal way some of the topics of the Berlin DGUF conference like the role of institutions and professional associations, the psychology of power within archaeological professions, shifts of power, and the real impact of legislative actions.