Towards a more just world: An agenda for transformative heritage planning futures

Abstract

In this chapter, we address the key questions we consider to be lying ahead in heritage planning when pushing new practice and research frontiers. The aim is to inspire new, combined, continued and alternative perspectives on doing, studying and reflecting on heritage planning. We focus mostly on conceptual and thematic ways forward, supported by some methodological, governance and funding considerations. There is much to be done, many angles to be explored, numerous ideas to be shared and actions to be undertaken. This agenda is but a small contribution. It explores the three themes of the book as societal challenges of pursuing social, environmental and economic justice, requiring radical structural and institutional changes within both academia and practice. Heritage planning could be at the centre of addressing these societal transformations. This demands nothing less than challenging yet inspiring new pathways forward, in order for heritage planning to contribute to a more just, diverse and sustainable world.