Abstract
As we consider the contested landscape of cultural heritage, the facets elaborated in this volume are touch points for profitable discussion: social identity, political claims, national propaganda, ownership, respect, and interpretation. Yet, cultural heritage is fluid and constantly changing depending on the context of space and time. At the regional and global scale, the forces of homogeneity and unity reign, while at the national and local scales, heterogeneity and diversity prevail. With the growing world of tourism, cultural heritage has become a novelty realized through travel to the locale or its virtual substitute through print and moving media. Travel can be a positive opportunity that brings societies together to share common values of culture. But it also can generate tension when cultural values come into conflict. The case of the ancient Maya is significant on this point (Fig. 12.1).
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Ford, A. (2011). Afterword: El Pilar and Maya Cultural Heritage: Reflections of a Cheerful Pessimist. In: Silverman, H. (eds) Contested Cultural Heritage. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7305-4_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7305-4_12
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