The designation of « monument historique » traces its roots to the French Revolution when the government appointed Alexandre Lenoir to specify and safeguard certain structures. The first classifications were given in the XIXth century by Prosper Mérimée, inspector-general of historical monuments with the support of local organizations and an administration (until the vote of 1887 law for the protection of the « monuments historiques »).This Specified Subject studies how and why ‘heritage’ became an omnipresent and defining feature of modern societies. When we examine the politics of heritage from a historical perspective, a complex picture emerges. The political, social, economic and cultural history of heritage illuminates the tensions between a longing for the past and the desire for progress, between regional and national identities. Our goal is to understand how and why heritage is enhanced by people – politics, social groups. We suggest that heritage isn’t exploited with speechs but it creates new kind of speechs with the help of social groups.
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