ABSTRACT
What is the role of cultural heritage in multi-ethnic societies, where cultural memory is often polarized by antagonistic identity traditions? Is it possible for monuments that are generally considered as a symbol of national unity to become emblems of the conflictual histories still undermining divided societies? Taking as a starting point the cosmopolitanism that blossomed across the Mediterranean in the age of empires, this book addresses the issue of heritage exploring the concepts of memory, culture, monuments and their uses, in different case studies ranging from 19th-century Salonica, Port Said, the Palestinian region under Ottoman rule, Trieste and Rijeka under the Hapsburgs, up to the recent post-war reconstructions of Beirut and Sarajevo.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|69 pages
Urban Monuments and Divided Memories from the 19th to 20th Centuries
chapter 2|15 pages
Dividing and Ruling a Mediterranean Port-City
part II|38 pages
Uses of the Past on the Scene of Composite Cities
chapter 5|13 pages
Cosmopolitan Practices
part III|48 pages
Cultural Heritage in Post-War Scenarios