Border town heritage maintenance and memory politics: the case of Kirkenes at the Norway–Russia border

This article examines Norwegian–Russian heritage-making and memory practices through the border town of Kirkenes in northeastern Norway. Methodologically, the analysis draws on four interconnected fields: collective memory articulated in local historical association yearbooks, museum practices in Kirkenes, commemorative rituals surrounding the Soviet Liberation Monument dedicated to the Red Army, and bilateral memory practices related to border marking between Norway and the Soviet Union/Russia. Together, these fields conceptualise Kirkenes as a politicised mnemonic landscape in which local, national, and international actors intersect. To analyse these dynamics, the article introduces a Social Space Diagram structured along two axes: transcultural versus transnational memory practices, and heritage diplomacy versus memory diplomacy. The analysis identifies four recurring patterns. First, transcultural memory diplomacy, often driven by local actors, generates inclusive narratives that challenge state-centred interpretations. Second, transnational memory diplomacy is frequently instrumentalized by states – particularly Russia – to advance geopolitical claims. Third, transcultural heritage diplomacy operates as a form of soft power grounded in shared stewardship through joint monument preservation and museum initiatives. Finally, transnational heritage diplomacy is more formalised, materialising in bilateral agreements and regional frameworks. The case of Kirkenes demonstrates how border towns mediate between historical integrity and political utility within contested memory regimes.