Angela Phelps, Principal lecturer, Department of International Studies, The Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham. G.J. Ashworth, Professor of Heritage Management and Urban Tourism, Department of Planning, Gröningen University, The Netherlands. Bengt O.H. Johansson, retired, formerly Special Advisor to the Swedish Minister of Culture and Professor at the Institute of Conservation, Göteborg University, Sweden

• Contents: Introduction: The cultural construction of heritage conservation, G.J. Ashworth and Angela Phelps. The Preservation of the Past: National Contexts: The conservation of the built environment in the United Kingdom, Graham Black; The conservation of the built environment in Sweden, Bengt O.H. Johansson; The conservation of the built environment in The Netherlands, G.J. Ashworth. Case Studies: Heritage, Identity and Urban Regeneration, Ingrid Holmberg; ’Where the past is still alive’: variation over the identity of Haga, in Göteborg, Ingrid Holmberg; Nottingham lace market, Graham Black; Waagstraat complex and Hoofdstation, Gröningen: consequence or cause of place identity?, M.J. Kuipers and G.J. Ashworth. The Heritage Site as Attraction, Angela Phelps; Developing an historic monument: reinventing the Villa Rustica of Gunnebo, Inger Ernstsson and Bengt O.H. Johansson; Adaptive re-use of historic properties: Wollaton Hall and park, Nottingham, Angela Phelps; Managing the heritage of fortress towns: the cases of Naarden and Bourtange, G.J. Ashworth and M.J. Kuipers. Heritage as a Strategic Policy Option, Bengt O.H. Johansson; Bolsover - after ’King Coal’, Graham Black; Heritage in economic regeneration: the case of Nieuweschans, G.J. Ashworth; Forsvik’s Bruk: a tragic industrial closure or an industrial historical success?, Lars Bergström. Heritage and the Restructuring of Symbolic Places, Bengt O.H. Johansson; Liverpool and the heritage of the slave trade, Pat McLernon and Sue Griffiths; Layers of meaning, layers of space: city strolling and the museum gaze, Michael Landzelius; Shaping symbolic space: Parliament Square, London, as a sacred place, Stuart Burch; Folkingestraat, Gröningen: the heritage of the Jewish ghetto, G.J. Ashworth. Conclusion: The experience of heritage conservation: outcomes and futures, G.J. Ashworth; Indices.

’The case-study texts of professional tasks and practices are enough to recommend a reading of the book. It could well form the bases of one or several study tours, at least I feel tempted to do some travelling...The strength of these studies is the close connection between on the one hand concrete studies of the material culture, its characteristics and historical connotations, and on the other hand the images of this material culture that are claimed to be heritage. This gives a possibility to bridge at least part of the gap between practice and theory, giving room for professional and critical reflection.’ Ola Wetterberg, Chalmers University of Technology and the National Heritage Board, Sweden 'This is an interesting and usable contribution. The book's structure and content are very relevant and its sections well-structured, with useful introductions. The writing is generally fluent and informative. Ashworth and Phelps provide a helpful introduction to the cultural construction of heritage conservation.' Urban Studies