What does the human geography bring to the analysis of heritage processes?
Résumé
The aim of this contribution is to examine how human geography is relevant with analyzing heritage processes and what is the specific feature of this discipline in the field of Heritage Studies. The process of heritagization consists of attributing heritage values based on criteria that evolve through time and in conjunction with socio-cultural contexts (Smith 2006). As a socio-spatial production, heritage objects are at the same time the indicators of the choices make by the societies (Graham et al. 2000). How human geography can help to understand the process of the heritagization? What are the advantages of the discipline and how could it be combined to other disciplines to go deeper in the understanding of heritage issues?
Crossing archaeological case studies focused on rock art sites (France, South Africa and West Indies) and pile dwelling sites (Alpine area), our aim is to present the methods used by human geography to analyze what is at stake in the heritage processes. Through the analyze of territorial context, we will discuss how human geography is relevant to understand the stakeholders positions and the choices they make in the heritagization process: choices made in terms of space (forms and limits of the heritage areas), choices made in terms of values (definition and attribution of heritage importance) and choices made in terms of publics in charge of the heritagization process (the production of the authorized Heritage discourses and population involvement). Through a pragmatic approach, we will present how we practice human geography in the field of Heritage Studies, explain our methodology, the kind of data we use (quantitative, qualitative, maps), with a focus on the chronosystemic timeline, a useful diachronic and systemic tool to examine how and why an object or a place becomes heritage.
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