This critical investigation highlights the politics of cultural heritage management, including authenticity and conservation, and its effects on the everyday lives of the peoples it claim to be representing through the example of Djenné in Mali.

Introduction; Part I Putting Djenné on the Map; Chapter 1 Architecture and the "Creation" of Djenné in the West; Chapter 2 Archaeology and Architecture; Chapter 3 UNESCO and Becoming a World Heritage Site; Part II Life in Djenné; Chapter 4 Islam; Chapter 5 Livelihood Strategies; Chapter 6 Artisans, Embodied Knowledge, and Authenticity; Chapter 7 Guides and the Regulation of History in Djenné; Chapter 8 Festival du Djennéry; Chapter 9 Conclusion;