The Future of Heritage in a Globalized World

Abstract

Heritage is a wide array of concepts and symbols. In our contemporary world materialized heritage is becoming increasingly important—perhaps a response to a world of unprecedented transformation, where the material and immaterial is conceived as a balance to the transience of nonmaterial institutions. Archaeological monuments, objects, and interpretations are among the most important categories used in this ongoing regeneration, amendment, and creation of historical narratives. As heritage enters a more explicit place in the contemporary social, cultural, and political dialogue, and what is subsumed under the heading “heritage” is expanded to encompass just about everything, what is subsumed under the concept and how it is generated become hazy, and the connotations in its use become slippery.