Conserving the “Left Bank”: Authorized Heritage Discourse in the Romanov Part of Tutaev

Abstract

The article is based on anthropological research conducted in 2019–2024 in Tutaev (Yaroslavl region, Russia) and discusses the active life of heritage in the left-bank (Romanov) part of the town in the recent years. Laurajane Smith’s concept of authorized heritage discourse (AHD) is used as a theoretical framework for the analysis. Focusing on the issue of borders between different actors, I examine the possibilities and limitations of the concept. The study draws on the materials of participant observation, local social networks, and interviews with town residents – particularly, heritage preservation activists. I argue that, on the one hand, the use of the AHD concept helps identify the complexity of the heritage landscape in the case under consideration and discern non-obvious drawbacks and conventions in this area. On the other hand, the study shows that Smith’s concept is not sensitive enough to the nuances and differences revealed during fieldwork and needs more subtle analytical tools.