Dynamics of Heritage

Laurence Gouriévidis is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anglophone Studies at the Blaise Pascal University in Clermont-Ferrand, France

• Contents: Preface; Memory, history and museums; The legacy of the clearances; National and local museums: the structural environment; Museum narratives of the clearances: themes and approaches; Museum interpretations of the clearances: issues and strategies; Museological development and narratives of the clearances; The economics of clearance heritage; The politics of clearance heritage; Conclusion: the dynamics of clearance heritage; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

'Laurence Gouriévidis has provided a brilliant study of the Highland Clearances as interpreted by museums. She shows how complex are the motives for memorialisation, how difficult the achievement, and how ambiguous the notions of "heritage" or, indeed, of dispassionate history. It is a welcome breath of fresh air in Scottish historical and cultural studies.' Chris Smout, University of St Andrews, UK 'With sustained interest in the history of the Clearances comes responsibility for their interpretation and (re)presentation. Drawing on a wide range of local museums as sites of interpretation, and elegantly blending insight from literature, museology, heritage studies and historical scholarship, Laurie Gouriévidis convincingly demonstrates the potency of the past and the power of collective memory in shaping present and future meanings around notions of land, home, belonging and identity.' Charles W. J. Withers, University of Edinburgh, UK '... The Dynamics of Heritage presents an excellent academic analysis of the theoretical concerns that underpin our (re)presentations of the past, which will prove a useful case study for other researchers.' Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review