ABSTRACT
What is the relationship between the work of conservation professionals and the lives they lead beyond this work? Building on anthropological studies of bureaucracy and expertise, the chapter explores how these people explain their work in relation to their life and vice versa. Our analysis foregrounds the ambivalent status of “personal interests”, which can be seen both as a source of professional legitimacy and as professionally problematic. The chapter sheds new light on professional heritage practice, highlighting the individually specific commitments that animate this work.
