ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the impact of UNESCO World Heritage status on place-based learning, using the Rjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage Site as an empirical example. Our research unveils the paradox of such global recognition; while it enriches local school curriculums and encourages a connection with one's local environment, it can restrict the multivocality inherent in place-based learning, potentially hindering its effectiveness. The concept of ‘place’ is presented as a dynamic, multifaceted construct, influenced by social relations and narratives. Furthermore, the study identifies World Heritage Sites as ‘heterotopias’ and ‘glocal’ phenomena, which offer unique opportunities for learning but also risk obscuring multivocality due to a dominant local narrative. Thus, we emphasise the importance of ‘contact zones’ within such places, where diverse narratives meet and engage, fostering critical thinking and reflexivity. Contact zones call for an open, critical approach to place-based learning that embraces contestation to enhance children's learning.
