Shared Heritage? Remaking the European Zone in Rabat

UNESCO's inscription of Rabat as a 'shared heritage' site reframes French colonial architecture as a symbol of respect and modernist influence, downplaying the power dynamics of settler colonialism. The study reveals how preservation narratives strategically connect European zone urban planning to Moroccan national identity, while obscuring the role of white supremacy in structuring the built environment. By analyzing inscription materials, the research demonstrates how colonial histories are selectively reinterpreted to align with World Heritage criteria, effectively silencing explicit racial hierarchies that underpinned French colonial authority.

Flahive, R. (2025). Shared Heritage? Remaking the European Zone in Rabat. White Supremacy, Settler Colonialism, Modernist Architecture, and Contemporary Preservation, 112–126. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003566588-5