Destruction of heritage, community and anthropomorphism

Damien Chaney and Pascal Brassier

Annals of Tourism Research, 2024, vol. 109, issue C

Abstract: The article investigates the community effects of the destruction of heritage. Drawing on the literature on anthropomorphism, we define heritage anthropomorphism as the tendency of attributing a heritage site not only human-like physical features, qualities and behaviors, but also superhuman characteristics. Through a social network and thematic analysis on the Notre-Dame cathedral fire which is perceived as the death of a human, we show that its destruction gave rise to an active virtual community of mourners, bringing together tourists, locals, officials and managers like a funeral procession. The findings also reveal different forms of grief in the conversations which include shock and denial, anger and sadness, questioning life, memory sharing and recovery.

Keywords: Heritage; Anthropomorphism; Destruction; Community; Social network analysis; Mourning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:anture:v:109:y:2024:i:c:s0160738324001166

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2024.103839

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