This thesis examines the heritagisation processes that have taken place at the Skellefteå Field since the 1980s, that transformed former and current mining areas into mining heritage sites. The purpose of the thesis is to find out how and why the heritagisation processes started and how the heritagisation processes developed through the years. Another important aspect of the thesis is to examine the narratives used to motivate the heritagisation of the areas. The thesis uses Critical Discourse Analysis’ (CDA) three dimensional analytical model as a methodological approach to examine the narratives used, by comparing the narratives used by the Swedish National Heritage Board, the County Administrative Board in Västerbotten and by the local actors who manage the sites. The CDA model is used in combination with field theory, adapted by Isacson and Orre from Broady’s understanding of Bourdieu’s original field theory, to frame the mining heritage discourse as a field. For the understanding of the heritagisation processes of the former and current mining areas, the thesis uses the theoretical framework of heritagisation by Harrison, and primarily the reconceptualization of heritagisation by Sjöholm who has redefined heritagisation by adding the terms re-heritagisation and de-heritagisation.   The results of the essay show that local enthusiasm is the primary instigator of the heritagisation processes of the former and current mining areas. The narratives used by the mining heritage sites correspond well with the narratives used by the Swedish National Heritage Board and the County Administrative Board in Västerbotten. It is shown that the narratives used at each level, national, regional and local, are shaped by each other and that these narratives ultimately frame the field of mining heritage and the discourse of mining heritage sites at the Skellefteå Field. The local enthusiasts instigated the heritagisation processes and were supported during the 1980s by an increase in interest for industrial heritage from a national level. The heritagisation processes were in no way absolute, the heritage was constantly reaffirmed, and in some cases rejected. Heritagisation processes cannot be seen as fixed, they are fluid and the mining heritage sites are dependent on the continuous perception of them as heritage. The heritage sites become reaffirmed each time they are visited and perceived by the visitors as heritage. The thesis is connected to the larger projects Nordregio and REXSAC at the Royal Institute of Technology.

Le sujet de la thèse est de grand intérêt : Quel est l'avenir d'anciennes colonies minières, petites et moyennes? Quel rôle peut avoir le patrimoine industriel - minier dans ce contexte?. Les raisons de l'étude sont multiples: la faible connaissance de l'étendue et de l'impact de l'abandon des zones minières, la faible connaissance du patrimoine industriel-minier roumain, etc...Pour analyser l'évolution de l'industrie minière roumaine, il est nécessaire son inclusion dans le contexte européen, en utilisant comme points de repère la Grande Bretagne et la France. La méthodologie est différente selon le pays.La thèse est structurée en trois parties. La première contient une étude de l'évolution historique de l'industrie minière. Dans la seconde partie, l'étude est limitée aux trois pays : la Grande Bretagne, la France et la Roumanie. Basé sur des études de cas en anglais, écossaise et surtout français, sont mis en évidence des méthodes de travail et des stratégies pour la mise en valeur du patrimoine minier, dans le contexte du développement territorial. Dans la troisième partie, l'étude est limitée à la Roumanie. Une première étape consiste en l'inventaire des établissements miniers de trois comtés pour établir le portrait type. Aussi cette partie inclut la proposition de méthodologie de recherche et d'intervention pour le cas roumain et la proposition des stratégies pour les régions Ghelari, Brad et Valea Jiului.Les conclusions de la thèse sont diverses, parmi elles les implications de l'industrie minière au niveau européen, types d'interventions sur le patrimoine minier, méthodes économiques et sociaux, stratégies et recommandations. / Thesis topic is of great interest : What is the future of former mining settlements, small and medium, from Romania and Europe? What role can have the industrial mining heritage - in this context ? The motivations of the study are multiple: the weak knowledge of the scale and effects of the abandonment of mining areas, the poor knowledge of Romanian industrial- mining heritage, etc.For analyzing the evolution of the Romanian mining industry, it is required its inclusion in the European context, using as references Great Britain and France. The methodology is different depending on the country.The thesis is structured in three parts and conclusions. The first part contains a research of the historical evolution of the mining industry. In the second part, the study is restrained at the three countries: Great Britain, Franceand Romania. Based on English, Scottish and especially French case studies are highlighted working methods and strategies which promote the mining heritage, in the context of territorial development.ln the third part, the study is restrained at Romania. A fïrst step is the inventory of mining settlements from three counties to establish the type portrait of Romanian mining settlement. AIso this part contains the research and the intervention methodology for the Romanian case and the proposing of strategies for the regions of Ghelari, Brad and Jiu Valley.The conclusions of the thesis are diverse from the implications of the mining industry at European level, types of interventions on the mining heritage, economic and social methods, Romanian mining settlements characteristics and similarities in Europe, strategies and recommendations.

The presented dissertation deals with the perception and methods of management of the mining heritage from the perspective of individual stakeholders, entities and interest groups involved in the process of its creation, inventory, interpretation, use, protection or reconstruction. At the same time, it discusses the ways of using the mining heritage, the benefits and risks of its presence in the territory or its connection to territorial identities. The general starting points of the research are based on a search and critical discussion of scientific literature and key geographical concepts (heritage, place, identity). In the first part, the thesis deals with the conceptualization of heritage in general, discussing various ways of defining and looking at heritage, its characteristics and properties, and also it discusses possible approaches to it. The thesis also brings different perspectives on classification of heritage and analysis of its individual phases, as the heritage is seen as a socio-cultural process conditioned by individual actors, entities and interest groups who enter and influence it at various stages. The thesis also deals with the ways heritage shapes and affects the environment in which it is located, including its inhabitants and visitors. After a general discussion, the thesis...