Transcript Class, Heritage and the Negotiation of Place

Class, Heritage and the
Negotiation of Place
Laurajane Smith
University of York
Naturalised ‘ways of seeing’ heritage – the
Authorised Heritage Discourse
The Authorised Heritage Discourse (AHD)
• ‘Grand’, ‘tangible’, ‘old’ and ‘aesthetically
pleasing’ sites, monuments and buildings;
• Feel good, comfortable;
• Value inherent;
• Conserve as found for future generations;
• Expertise has ‘duty’ to act for and steward a
universal past.
As well as being in touch with heritage – it’s very
important part of leisure time – very middle class
thing to do. … Particularly important to middle class
– gives pleasure. But that’s alright different places
appeal to different people.
(CH369, female, over 60, academic )
To the vast majority it doesn’t mean a thing – people
would rather go shopping. It seems to be a middle
class thing [visiting country houses] due to
education and how you are brought up to reflect, it
reflects the direction of your education.
(CH409, male, over 60 )
Gives a sense of comfort – the history and stability
and continuance of it. … comforting to know that it
is still being preserved.
(CH286, female, over 60)
Comfortable about visiting even though it was built
on slavery, but nonetheless it’s part of the
country’s history.
(CH122, male, 30-39, night shift team leader)
Proud and comfortable.
(CH363, female, 40-59, teacher)
Contented – wouldn’t change my lot for this.
(CH329, who identified that their mother had been ‘in
service’).
Interviewer: Did you find the exhibition [on
1807] interesting?
No, not really it is irrelevant, we came to
see the house, the history of princess
Mary, the royal family, so it’s a very kind of
separate issue to visit here, so we kind of
passed it by.
(HHE 13, 2007)