COSMOLOGICAL MARKINGS AND ERASURES : The Political Theology of State‐Led Gentrification and Heritagization

Source abstract

Abstract This article investigates the symbolic politics of state‐led gentrification and heritagization, focusing on how these processes serve to ‘glorify’ state power. Drawing on Agamben's political theology, Bourdieu's notion of symbolic power and space, and political heritage studies, we argue that the symbolic politics of state glorification can drive state‐led gentrification. In addition to an emphasis on symbolic impositions, this political‐theological perspective can illuminate how the internal logics of state power shape urban space and social order. Our multi‐method study of the reconstruction of the fortress around the Yogyakarta Kraton in Indonesia shows how the construction of heritage re‐territorializes state authority while legitimizing development and displacement. The project, tied to UNESCO World Heritage designation, facilitates tourism and gentrification while reinforcing the Sultanate's dual role as cultural and governmental leader. Our study seeks to contribute to debates on urban heritage, state authority in gentrification, and the logic underpinning redevelopment and displacement in heritage areas.