Does Heritage Matter? Is the past serving the present in Japan and Europe?

This seminar examined the significance of heritage and the role it plays in the culture and society of Japan and Europe. In Europe, heritage can create a sense of place but its meaning, ownership and accessibility are often contentious. In Japan, heritage sites are unchallenged once established, but their status can make them taken-for-granted. In both Europe and Japan, though, while spending on heritage is at record levels, heritage practitioners are being forced to be innovative in making heritage of relevance to the contemporary world. The speakers considered the justification for public support for heritage projects, the efficacy of heritage policies, and the appropriateness of heritage in contemporary society.

This seminar was arranged in association with The Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.