Description
Our Elgar Concise Introductions are inspiring and considered. They explain the key principles in business and are expertly written by some of the world's leading scholars. The aims of the series are two-fold: to pinpoint essential concepts and to offer insights that stimulate critical thinking.
About the Author
Laurajane Smith, Professor of Heritage and Museum Studies, Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies, the Australian National University, Australia
Reviews
'Critique, clarity, and constructive concern merge in Smith's impressively readable account of heritage studies and their real-world implications. Smith's perspective, grounded in deep social and political engagement, shows how people - scholars, activists, citizens of every stripe - shape the present through performances and contestations of multiple pasts.' -- Michael Herzfeld, Harvard University, USA
'Laurajane Smith masterfully synthesises the manifold ways of understanding heritage today. For students and researchers from a wide range of disciplines wondering what the apparent boom in heritage is all about, Smith lays out the myriad potential of the field. She provides a broad survey of Heritage Studies introducing the key issues at stake, the principle faultlines, and the complexities at play without oversimplifying. This book opens doors into this field of study at a time when critical reflection about the deployment of heritage performances and practices to justify actions with material consequences on people's lives is so crucial.' -- Dacia Viejo-Rose, University of Cambridge, UK
'This book comes at a critical moment of political, social and environmental crises in which questions of what heritage does connects everyday and local actions and experiences to global events and transitions. With the bread-and-butter concerns of politics, people and places at its centre, this book gains traction to provide critical insight to combat the seemingly easy solutions of populist rhetoric that would otherwise fill the vacuum. Marking a "coming of age" for heritage studies and with a didactic clarity that characterises Laurajane Smith's work, this book helps the reader to locate themselves in the field and gain confidence in navigating the expanding scholarly terrain of Critical Heritage Studies. Smith's unapologetic commitment towards the politics of power and questions of social justice shines through in this exploration of how heritage is mobilised to mediate social and political change.' -- David C. Harvey, Aarhus University, Denmark
'Smith's latest book is a compelling exploration of why heritage studies are vital in navigating the challenges of today's world. Scholarly yet accessible, this Concise Introduction highlights the field's dynamism, its diversity of practices and perspectives, and its social relevance, making it essential reading for anyone interested in heritage studies, identity, memory, and cultural meaning.' -- John Schofield, University of York, UK
'Laurajane Smith is one of the preeminent scholars in heritage studies, and this book only reinforces her place in the field. It is an all-encompassing survey showing how the discipline is diverse with many fascinating and worthwhile approaches. This book should be a standard read for those seeking a comprehensive overview of our discipline.' -- Paul Shackel, University of Maryland, USA
Book Information
ISBN 9781788978163
Author Laurajane Smith
Format Paperback
Page Count 142
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
This incisive book elucidates the field of Anglophone heritage studies, outlining its historical development alongside core theoretical debates and research trends. Drawing on her own experiences working as an academic and practitioner in the subject, Laurajane Smith examines how diverse definitions of heritage have influenced international scholarship and preservation practices.
Key Features:
- Documents the emergence of critical heritage studies as a distinct field of inquiry and the implications of this for heritage research and policymaking
- Explores the social, political and environmental consequences of heritage-making, as well as its applications at different scales and in varied contexts
- Highlights the multidisciplinary nature of heritage and its importance for understanding topics including identity, memory, authenticity, affect, place and gender
The Concise Introduction to Heritage Studies is an invaluable resource for students and scholars across a wide range of disciplines, including human geography, tourism, sociology, archeology and anthropology. Its insights into how the past affects the present will also benefit practitioners and policymakers in these fields.
About the Author
Laurajane Smith, Professor of Heritage and Museum Studies, Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies, the Australian National University, Australia
Reviews
'Critique, clarity, and constructive concern merge in Smith's impressively readable account of heritage studies and their real-world implications. Smith's perspective, grounded in deep social and political engagement, shows how people - scholars, activists, citizens of every stripe - shape the present through performances and contestations of multiple pasts.' -- Michael Herzfeld, Harvard University, USA
'Laurajane Smith masterfully synthesises the manifold ways of understanding heritage today. For students and researchers from a wide range of disciplines wondering what the apparent boom in heritage is all about, Smith lays out the myriad potential of the field. She provides a broad survey of Heritage Studies introducing the key issues at stake, the principle faultlines, and the complexities at play without oversimplifying. This book opens doors into this field of study at a time when critical reflection about the deployment of heritage performances and practices to justify actions with material consequences on people's lives is so crucial.' -- Dacia Viejo-Rose, University of Cambridge, UK
'This book comes at a critical moment of political, social and environmental crises in which questions of what heritage does connects everyday and local actions and experiences to global events and transitions. With the bread-and-butter concerns of politics, people and places at its centre, this book gains traction to provide critical insight to combat the seemingly easy solutions of populist rhetoric that would otherwise fill the vacuum. Marking a "coming of age" for heritage studies and with a didactic clarity that characterises Laurajane Smith's work, this book helps the reader to locate themselves in the field and gain confidence in navigating the expanding scholarly terrain of Critical Heritage Studies. Smith's unapologetic commitment towards the politics of power and questions of social justice shines through in this exploration of how heritage is mobilised to mediate social and political change.' -- David C. Harvey, Aarhus University, Denmark
'Smith's latest book is a compelling exploration of why heritage studies are vital in navigating the challenges of today's world. Scholarly yet accessible, this Concise Introduction highlights the field's dynamism, its diversity of practices and perspectives, and its social relevance, making it essential reading for anyone interested in heritage studies, identity, memory, and cultural meaning.' -- John Schofield, University of York, UK
'Laurajane Smith is one of the preeminent scholars in heritage studies, and this book only reinforces her place in the field. It is an all-encompassing survey showing how the discipline is diverse with many fascinating and worthwhile approaches. This book should be a standard read for those seeking a comprehensive overview of our discipline.' -- Paul Shackel, University of Maryland, USA
Book Information
ISBN 9781788978163
Author Laurajane Smith
Format Paperback
Page Count 142
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
