Histories of urban heritage: emotional and experiential attachments across time and space

This chapter proposes a ‘lexicon of emotion’ as an analytical filter for the interpretation of place attachment in data collected through various established qualitative methodologies such as interviews, focus groups, surveys and digital data. Place attachment is a dynamic and subjective phenomenon and methodologies for its assessment need to be robust in order to be recognised as credible among authorities and professionals. Numerous methodologies have been used to elicit the attachment people have to their heritage. Yet such methodologies also need to honour the contributions of communities and the feelings they express. The ‘lexicon of emotion’ positions human sentiment as the critical element of analysis where experiences and subjective qualities are privileged in the understanding of cultural heritage and its significance.