Heritage and Identity: Engagement and Demission in the Contemporary World

Heritage and Identity explores the complex ways in which heritage actively contributes to the construction and representation of identities in contemporary societies, providing a comprehensive account of the diverse conceptions of heritage and identity across different continents and cultures. This collection of thought-provoking articles from experts in the field captures the richness and diversity of the interlinked themes of heritage and identity. Heritage is more than a simple legacy from the past, and incorporates all elements, past and present, that have the ability to represent particular identities in the public sphere. The authors introduce and discuss a wide range of interconnected topics, including multiculturalism and globalization, local and regional identity, urban heritage, difficult memories, conceptions of history, ethnic representations, repatriation, ownership, controversy, contestation, and ethics and social responsibility. Heritage and Identity: engagement and demission in the contemporary world places empirical data within a theoretical and analytical framework and presents an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the representation of the past, invaluable for anyone interested in heritage and museum studies Marta Anico and Elsa Peralta are senior lecturers in Anthropology at the Instituto Superior de Cincias Sociais e Politicas, Universidade Técnica in Lisbon, Portugal. Marta Anico's research interests include heritage, museums, cultural practices and representations, and culture politics. Elsa Peralta is currently researching the construction of Portuguese national identity and is also interested in comparative national memories in Europe, heritage and memory, tourism and museums.Peralta, Elsa is the author of 'Heritage and Identity: Engagement and Demission in the Contemporary World', published 2009 under ISBN 9780415453363 and ISBN 0415453364.