INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE AS SOCIAL GLUE: A ROLE FOR ICH IN COMBATING MARGINALITY, CELEBRATING DIVERSITY AND PROMOTING CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT?

Alison McCleery, Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Co-authors: Alistair McCleery, Linda Gunn and David Hill

Cultural heritage is not limited to material manifestations, such as artifacts, monuments and other objects which have been preserved over time. It also encompasses living expressions and the traditions that countless groups and communities worldwide have inherited from their ancestors and transmit to their descendants, in most cases orally. Best practice in safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) responds to the 2003 UNESCO Convention of that name. Although the UK is not (yet) a signatory to the Convention, there is no doubt that in Scotland and also in Wales there is demonstrable enthusiasm for ICH in its various guises. This paper discusses a role for ICH in Scotland in the realization of a new sense of sociocultural identity and political confidence. It is based on a UNESCO-funded commission to scope and map ICH in Scotland and to make recommendations regarding its safeguarding. Carried out for Museums Galleries Scotland - the non-departmental public body charged with coordinating and funding at arm’slength the museums sector in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government - the brief reflected the current concern in Scotland to establish and promote a distinctive yet both diverse and inclusive cultural identity. Arguably this is quite distinct from the commodified tartanry which has reduced the image of Scotland to that of tourist sideshow.