Intangible Heritage and Participation: Encounters with Safeguarding Practices

The book "Intangible Heritage and Participation" explores participation as an intellectual and operational frame in safeguarding intangible heritage, with case studies from various countries. It examines the complexities of participatory projects, such as community research, memory-work, and cultural transmission, and cautions against the uncritical adoption of participation as a universal ethical discourse. It offers an original approach to thinking about and working with intangible heritage and is essential reading for academics, researchers, and students in cultural heritage studies, museology, anthropology, and cultural development.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 162 pages
Publication date: 13 July 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Intangible Heritage and Participation delves into the realm of participation as an intellectual and operational framework in safeguarding intangible heritage. Through a comprehensive analysis, encompassing case studies from various countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Aotearoa New Zealand, Greece, Peru, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, and Japan, the book explores the concept of safeguarding as a museological framework and further investigates safeguarding practices in participatory research, memory-work, and cultural transmission.

Drawing upon conversations about the complexities of participatory projects, the book delves into the nuances of community research, collecting, and the mapping of Indigenous values in environmental conservation. It also examines the processes of active remembering of the difficult intangible heritage associated with forced migration, political violence, and mental illness.

In cautioning against the uncritical adoption of participation as a universal ethical discourse, Alivizatou argues that the ethics of cosmopolitanism should serve as a guiding principle in safeguarding practices at an international level.

Intangible Heritage and Participation presents an innovative perspective on thinking about and working with intangible heritage, making it an essential reading for academics, researchers, and students in fields such as cultural heritage studies, museology, anthropology, and cultural development. It is also of interest to heritage and museum professionals, as well as anyone passionate about cultural heritage theory and practice.

Weight: 260g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138387010