Who Needs Experts? Counter-mapping Cultural Heritage - Inclusive

In this review the book Who Needs Experts? Counter-mapping Cultural Heritage is presented as a thoughtful intervention for readers interested in how local knowledge reshapes conservation and cultural policy. John Schofield uses the Faro Convention as a starting point to argue for the importance of everyday places and community expertise, making this volume most valuable to practitioners, students and local activists seeking practical, case-based perspectives. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its clear focus on rebalancing heritage practice toward inclusion and the everyday, grounded in concrete case studies across a broad geographic context.

Key Features

• Faro Convention focus: Explains the Council of Europe 2005 convention as a practical framework for valuing cultural heritage for society, useful for policy-aware readers.
• Case-study approach: Presents a range of geographic examples that demonstrate how local people contest authorised views of heritage and assert everyday expertise.
• Practical orientation: Offers pragmatic perspectives rather than purely theoretical debate, which helps heritage professionals consider applied changes to practice.
• Inclusive agenda: Argues that recognising local familiarity can widen participation and make cultural agendas more socially relevant.
• Clear conclusion: Makes a forceful case that everyday places matter and that realignment of practice could improve social outcomes in heritage work.

Who It's For

Heritage professionals, community heritage organisers and architecture or urban studies students will find this book most useful because it links international convention to on-the-ground examples and practical implications. Those looking for perspectives on making heritage more socially inclusive and less dominated by technical experts will appreciate the book's orientation toward everyday places and local knowledge.

Readers seeking a richly illustrated survey or a technical manual for conservation methods should look elsewhere; this is a discursive, case-based text that foregrounds social argument and practice rather than hands-on restoration techniques or exhaustive visual documentation.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a clear, policy-relevant discussion anchored in the Faro Convention that helps connect international frameworks to local practice.
• Uses diverse case studies to show how community expertise can challenge authorised views of heritage.
• Accessible, pragmatic tone that prioritises inclusion and the everyday over purely academic theorising.

Cons

• Not a technical conservation handbook, so readers seeking detailed restoration guidance will find limited practical instruction.

Specifications

Title	Who Needs Experts?: Counter-mapping Cultural Heritage
Series	Heritage, Culture and Identity
Author	John Schofield
Primary focus	Faro Convention and value of cultural heritage for society
Approach	Case studies across a broad geographic context
Intended audience	Heritage practitioners, students, community organisers

Our Verdict

Who Needs Experts? is a concise, persuasive call to refocus heritage practice around local familiarity and everyday places, making it worthwhile for professionals and students who want a policy-informed, case-led argument for inclusion. It offers strong value to those seeking practical conceptual change rather than technical restoration detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book explain the Faro Convention?
The book takes the Faro Convention as its starting point and explains its relevance for valuing cultural heritage in social terms.

Is this a practical guide to conservation techniques?
No, the emphasis is on pragmatic policy and case-study discussion rather than step-by-step conservation methods.

Who benefits most from reading this title?
Heritage professionals, community organisers and students interested in inclusive, socially relevant heritage practice will gain the most.