This unit allows students to develop a broad knowledge of heritage issues from the perspective of History as a discipline and to develop analytical skills concerning local and global heritage issues. You will critically reflect on how heritage is ‘made’ by archaeologists, museums, politicians, and monument builders, and examine how the presentation of the past has become a commercial enterprise, as seen in the rise of heritage sites, websites such as Ancestry.com and Find My Past, and television and other media based programs. It will ask challenging questions about the purpose of museums and the nature of monuments, as well as taking you on a virtual tour of national and international heritage interpretations. The unit will develop your skills in communicating perspectives in writing and other media, and in problem solving and decision making on issues concerning history and cultural heritage. It will teach you how to convey the complexities of the past to diverse audiences in compelling ways as well as understanding the basis upon which heritage items are conserved and selected for preservation. It will also examine the ways in which digital technologies have changed how we view and interact with past cultures.