Was the shaping of nation states in Northern Europe governed by military might, or by Christian and democratic ideals? How has trade and cross-cultural exchange between Scandinavia and the British Isles shaped our historic identities, and what about the impact of global politics and marketing in recent times? These are some of the questions explored by the contributors in the context of forces that shape national identities today. Their analysis highlights the need for historical awareness when developing future cultural policy, brand profiles and marketing strategies. Looking back, Jesse Byock tells how democracy was first embraced in the north by the early settlers of Iceland, Bjorn Myhre delves into the unpredictability of historical interpretation, Edward Cowan discusses the role of 'battles and beddings' in relations across the North Sea, John Purkis writes about William Morris' fascination with Nordic culture, Stephen Harrison presents the 'winning ways' of product development and marketing by Manx National Heritage, whilst Chris Powell looks at 'Cool Britannia' today and Simon Anholt at national branding strategies. This is an inspirational book that sheds new light on old subjects, equally relevant for both public and private sector policy makers alike.

Papers from the 1999 conference by the Museum of Scotland. Aims to generate international comparison and debate about interpretation and presentation of heritage assets, and to examine the role of museums in shaping national identity.

Our heritage is rooted in local cultures and environments. However, does modern communication and its international bias now threaten regional integrity? How do we combine global awareness with practical local action, and can heritage be exported from one place to another like Euro Disney? Also, how will future cultural and environmental policies be influenced by the principle of subsidiarity and Article 128 of the Maastricht Treaty? These are some of the questions and issues to be discussed by contributors from the Heritage Convention, and to be included in this collection of papers. Drawn from papers presented at The Robert Gordon University Heritage Convention in 1995, this volume addresses a range of questions and explores issues critical to the sustained use of the Earth's heritage and economic benefit of local communities.