The book delves into the realpolitik(s) of conservation endeavours in complex urban settings. It highlights discrepancies between formal policies and pragmatic realities, revealing the factors contributing to this divide. Drawing on cases from Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and India, the volume explores the myriad factors that undermine the realisation of conservation ideals. Stories of conservation projects presented in the book illustrate how political, economic, and ideological dynamics mould on-the-ground outcomes, diverting them from academic principles and national or international policies. Authored by scholars intimately familiar with local dynamics, the chapters weave a tapestry of disciplinary, bureaucratic, and socio-political structures that shape urban heritage planning across diverse contexts.

• Deals with the challenges encountered by international conservation doctrine in local contexts
• Focuses on local complexities
• Results of the DFG project titled “Assembling Iran’s Urban Heritage Conservation Policy and Practice: Problematised in Tehran”