The Center for Heritage and Society at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is focused on developing an understanding of heritage in contemporary society. Beyond a concern for preservation of historical structures and artifacts, the Center elaborates on the role of tangible and intangible heritage in placemaking and creating resilient communities and societies. In a world of migration and displ
acement, where over 60 million people were separated from their homes as of the end of 2015, it is critical for us to understand the role that heritage plays in the respect for diversity in a multi-cultural world. The Center for Heritage and Society (CHS) offers multidisciplinary research opportunities and provides undergraduate and gradate students with training and experience in heritage planning and management. The Center brings together and builds upon the University's converging strengths in archaeology, cultural resource management, history, environmental science, landscape architecture and regional planning, European studies, Native American Indian Studies, Afro-American Studies, Classics, legal studies, and public policy.