Paradoxes of proximity and distance

The current fascination with heritage has generated a distinct type of teaching and learning designated by the term heritage education. In the research we conduct at Erasmus University Rotterdam we analyse the use of heritage in Dutch educational settings. In order to spark students' interest museums and other heritage institutes often bring history alive by fabricating physical and discursive bridges between past and present. Yet the perceived immediate experience of the past easily discourages a critical attitude, while marginalizing other voices. Hence, whereas the evoked proximity of the past appeals to students it might generate exclusion as well. This article theorizes the paradoxes of proximity and distance in heritage education. It advocates a need for a balanced historical distance concerning the levels of temporality and engagement to make room for shared understanding.