Moroccan students’ perceptions of cultural heritage: the case of USMBA students in Fez

This paper is about conceptions of heritage among Moroccan young people. It tries to identify and analyse these conceptions from a sociological point of view. It is methodologically based on a qualitative approach, using the individual interview with 98 students who belong to the University of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah (USMBA) in Fez. The study reveals that the interviewees are aware of the importance of heritage in their life; they considered it as a part of their identity. However, their conceptions of heritage are mostly related to material elements which are close to them and have symbolic value. The intangible elements like songs, traditional music, tales, and rites are almost neglected by them.