Cultural Heritage in a Changing World

The central purpose of this collection of essays is to make a creative addition to the
debates surrounding the cultural heritage domain. In the 21st century the world faces
epochal changes which affect every part of society, including the arenas in which
cultural heritage is made, held, collected, curated, exhibited, or simply exists. The book
is about these changes; about the decentring of culture and cultural heritage away from
institutional structures towards the individual; about the questions which the advent
of digital technologies is demanding that we ask and answer in relation to how we
understand, collect and make available Europe’s cultural heritage. Cultural heritage
has enormous potential in terms of its contribution to improving the quality of life for
people, understanding the past, assisting territorial cohesion, driving economic growth,
opening up employment opportunities and supporting wider developments such as
improvements in education and in artistic careers. Given that spectrum of possible
benefits to society, the range of studies that follow here are intended to be a resource and
stimulus to help inform not just professionals in the sector but all those with an interest in
cultural heritage.