Intangible Heritage and Embodiment

Abstract

This chapter traces the development of the concept of intangible heritage and how it has influenced global heritage discourse. It does so by outlining how the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) came about, and by outlining its relation to the concept of authenticity and the importance of acknowledging cultural diversity. Doing so makes evident the influence of Japanese heritage practice, which recognizes the importance of embodied skill in relation to elements of material or tangible heritage. By emphasizing the dependence of heritage on the relationship between perceiver and perceived, the notion of embodiment highlighted by the concept of intangible heritage draws attention to the fact that heritage is a living process and thus constantly evolving. The chapter concludes by reflecting on more recent debates concerning the significance of the notion of “embodiment” and its application to the concept and practice of intangible heritage.

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