Heritage studies

This paper is based on my experience as a practitioner in both the natural and cultural heritage fields, as well as my experience as a member of a local heritage ‘activist’ organisation (Brunswick Community History Group). Much of the paper is therefore anecdotal rather than the result of research. The paper focuses on the general trend in heritage studies and not on the rare and exceptional studies that, while they may set a new standard of excellence, tend not to influence the majority of studies commissioned. My aim has been to pose some of the fairly fundamental questions about why we do heritage studies, the form of these studies, and who benefits and who loses as a result of our current approach.