Le patrimoine qui attise les conflits

What is it about?

This article discusses the detrimental consequences of certain heritage practices used in intergroup relations throughout human history. Its aim is to highlight intergroup conflicts inflamed by heritage. As symbolic goods that generate prestige that provides benefits to their owners, it has been possible from time immemorial to mobilize heritage for winning in conflict. It is certainly neither the source nor the cause of most conflicts, but when these arise, igniting feelings through the exhilaration of heritage always has helped to elevate the level of engagement of the members of the group involved. The use of heritage to encourage conflictual behavior obviously causes damage to the groups involved, but at the same time prevents heritage from completely losing its power to generate or maintain sociocultural cohesion.

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