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Abstract
In societies marked by conflict and crisis, collective memory plays a central role in identity reconstruction. In Lebanon, the absence of a unified post-war national narrative has led to the emergence of local memories, often embodied by historical figures whose remembrance is perpetuated – or erased – through places of memory. This article investigates the role of these figures and their places of origin in shaping collective memory in a rural context, focusing on two major personalities from the Jezzine region: Maronite Patriarch Boulos Boutros Meouchi and the politicians Suleiman and Maroun Bey Kanaan. The aim of this study is to understand why and how some historical figures become major memory references for the local population, while others fall into oblivion. It also explores how the sites associated with them contribute to this process. The analysis highlights how the heritagization – or lack thereof – of these figures and their living environments reflects contemporary dynamics of selection, erasure, or valorization of local memory in a context of prolonged crisis. The approach combines archival analysis and semi-structured interviews with local actors to collect personal and community narratives about the two figures and their memorial sites. Field observation was also carried out to inventory these locations, assess their current state, and interpret their symbolic significance. This methodology allows us to observe how collective memory is materially embedded in space and evolves under the pressure of social, economic, and political factors.