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Hello welcome to the last program in our current series this week on in our time we will

be discussing the role of history and heritage in the formation

of the British national identity. Some professional historians have maintained a guarded relationship

with the heritage industry believing that it presents a distorted version of national life, a

merry England that is politically acceptable good for tourists, but somehow suspect.

History in contrast has been deemed to seek the warty truth about the past, objectively and even scientifically.

How has our understanding of history changed since the 19th century?

What is the role of heritage in national life?

And how will historians interpret our time and our society?

What will our heritage be? With me to discuss history and heritage at David

Kennedine, Director of the University of London's Institute of Historical Research,

an editor of a new book, What is History Now.

David Kanandine is also Commissioner with the Organization English Heritage.

Meir Rubin is Professor of European History at Queen Mary University of London,

...