ABSTRACT
Heritage is not just the past but also a representation or a reinterpretation of the past (Graham et al. 2000; Lowenthal 1997). The legacies and relics inherited from the past are not randomly preserved, but they are selectively chosen and have survived many political upheavals, and been shaped and reshaped by the politics of the past and present. Thus, heritage is inherently a political entity. It is not only influenced by politics, but it also influences politics. Heritage can be a foundation of nation-building but also a source of civil war. Although many of the relationships between heritage and politics are historical in nature, there are some countries, such as some in Eastern Europe, where heritage and its meaning are in transition as one political ideology has been replaced by another. This chapter seeks to explore the relationship between politics and heritage
by drawing on examples from developing countries and using them in political, heritage, and tourism contexts. Many aspects of heritage politics discussed in this chapter also apply to the Western, industrial world; however, more focus has been placed on situations and examples from developing countries. In particular, the chapter focuses on concepts that are more prominent in the developing world context, including heritage contestation, political uses of the past, power and empowerment, and political instability.
