Initially, I got this academic anthology for a heritage course in grad school. A couple of years later, I still find myself going back to it for resources, and (inadvertently) finished the collection. If you have an interest in the heritage field, especially as it pertains to cultural memory and identity, then I can definitely vouch for this edited volume.

Including a number of perspectives from around the globe, contributing researchers take a stab at the tedious process of trying to define heritage. From the tangible to intangible, sedentary to diaspora, and local to global, there is a great deal of content covered here. While there are specific case studies, this volume serves best as a resource for heritage theory.

The definition I most agree with is presented in the final chapter, “From the Tower of Babel to the Ivory Tower,” by David Lowenthal. He exclaims, “Most heritage is about personal or communal self-interest. Things are valued as my heritage or our heritage. Even a shameful past may earn self-admiration for facing up to it. In celebrating symbols of their histories, societies in fact worship themselves. Exclusive to us, our past is unlike anyone else’s” (282).

I find this to be the most pragmatic outlook of the field. Heritage can be self-indulgent, but it is precisely this reality that makes it such a powerful tool. Groups from the smallest communities to the largest nations build a collective sense of identity based on the stories, artifacts, buildings, artistic traditions, and national narratives that are valued and preserved. So why not dissect why we value what we value? Or my favorite question – why not examine who benefits most from what is valued? That’s where this book is helpful.

Overall, I must warn that this volume is more academic than accessible, so unless you have a keen interest in the field this (text)book may not be worth it. However, if you already have some base knowledge and want to learn more, then by all means this is pretty useful.

Rating: 3.5 stars