This book provides a critical analysis of 'modelscapes': clusters of miniature architectural models representing entire environments, which are on display to the public. Such 'modelscapes' are representations of heritage, architecture, and collective identity. The case studies used in this book have in fact gradually become heritage sites in their own right.
Using several case studies from Israel, the author shows how the miniature representation of contested physical space participates in the construction of a sense of ownership and appropriation towards the land and its history. Furthermore, rather than merely attempting to represent an exterior reality, these models endeavor to turn this chaotic and complex reality into a 'model reality' that can be easily grasped, contained, and controlled. The book investigates the meaning of such models, and the role they play within the context of an ongoing violent conflict concerning territory and history.