Introduction: Heritage and belonging in times of political polarization

We live in an era that sometimes seems void of nuance. The first decades
of the twenty-first century have seen walls raised with words and barbed
wire (McAtackney and McGuire 2020), and there has been relentless pres-
sure to take sides. In Europe and the United States, just as in many other
parts of the world, people have dug in their heels and have become increas-
ingly reluctant to compromise on politically charged issues concerning the
sharing of space, wealth and privileges. Not only populist politicians, but
also celebrities, merchandise brands and even your next-door neighbour
with campaign posters in their garden demand that you pick a side...