ABSTRACT
The introductory chapter is a summary of themes running through Chapters 2–6. It offers an overview of the ubiquity – abundance – of heritage that has gained ground over the last 50 years. In doing so, it touches on how changing perspectives on heritage have evolved. Heritage is no longer concerned simply with the past, but how it engages with the present and the future. Significant here is the interaction between people and places no matter how ordinary or seemingly mundane and how heritage is no longer focused solely or predominantly on famous ancient sites and monuments. In this context, the chapter highlights how heritage has increasingly engaged with intangible aspects of peoples’ associations with places and objects.
