The Janus-face of European heritage: Revisiting the rhetoric of Europe-making in EU cultural politics
Elisabeth Niklasson
Heritage sites and their stewards have been part of the project European integration since 1970s. Countless actions involving conservation, research public outreach has granted EU funding based on ‘European significance’ monuments or added value’ activities. This article argues that out long relationship between cultural politics domain tangible heritage, there grown a parallel approach to belonging. By tracing acts Europe-making in political statements used justify financial support, discussing effect co-funded archaeological projects, Janus-face is identified. One side places authority past, articulating commonality through site characteristics time periods. The other present, promoting more flexible understanding heritage. Since increasingly (and unwillingly) come share rhetorical figure heritage’ with anti-immigration groups calling for solidarity among ‘native Europeans’, question which takes precedence great consequence.
Journal of Social Archaeology