Integrating ICH and education: A review of converging theories and methods

The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, especially Articles 2 and 14, foregrounds the integral role that formal and non-formal education can play in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH). While the Convention’s Operational Directives enumerate a number of educational policies that countries may implement, the highly contextual nature of ICH and the complex politics of developing national curricula mean there is no one-size-fits-all solution for integrating ICH in education. A number of experiments in ICH and education can be found scattered among grey literature and academic journals, and a recent collaborative initiative between the Culture and Education sectors of UNESCO promises further growth in this area. Thus, it is an opportune time to survey the literature to document what has been accomplished and what new opportunities have emerged. This paper outlines four trends that are now converging: 1) understanding intergenerational transmission as a form of education, 2) promoting culturally responsive pedagogies, 3) linking ICH safeguarding to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and 4) shifting away from didactically teaching about heritage to teaching through heritage. This convergence offers benefits to practitioners both in the fields of ICH and education as well as to policymakers. In addition to the literature survey, this paper identifies present research gaps and suggests additional research questions that educators and heritage professionals could focus on in the future.