Examining Vulnerabilities in ICH Regimes – Minorities, Indigenous Peoples and Refugees
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is coming under increasing social, economic and political pressure as a result of neoliberal developments and neo-colonial discourses of domination in cultural heritage policy. Legal regulations have been put in place for those directly involved with ICH. However, these measures do not guarantee non-discriminatory access to protection systems. What new inequalities are emerging? To what extent are certain groups, such as indigenous peoples or ethnic and cultural minorities, affected by such dilemmas? What is the impact of powerful actors in international governance and the disempowering system dynamics of majoritarian regimes? How can these dynamics be broken and the vulnerable elements of ICH be protected?