La Heritage's factory

Abstract

The article reflects upon the contemporary phenomenon of heritage making and how our societies relate to historical time. We live in museumizing and archivizing societies where conservation and the transmission of the past have become central and prioritized activities. This phenomenon, which is taking place simultaneously with a memory upswing, is also characterized by the use of the term heritage in a collective property sense. The heritage making process of the 19th century as well as that of large parts of the 20th century can be understood in the light of some de facto situations related to the French Revolution as well as the convictions and representations as manifested in the institutions and initiatives which arose during the new regime. If the definition of heritage has become infinitely broad and its salvaging and conservation obsessive activities in large parts of our societies then one can ask oneself what the contemporary mobilizing engagement with heritage means. A first line of reflection could consist in relating heritage assertions with a pursuit of identity reinforcement. Another path to follow would be to reflect upon the contemporary transformations in the collective relation to historical time.