01783nas a2200181 4500000000100000000000100001000000100002008004100003260000800044653003900052100001900091245006800110856014600178300001100324490000700335520123900342022002001581 2011 d cfeb10aCommunity participation (THE\_204)1 aLucas Lixinski00aSelecting Heritage: The Interplay of Art, Politics and Identity uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79954504918&doi=10.1093%2fejil%2fchr001&partnerID=40&md5=5977dfa77c3da2b139d4b2996a74b4be a81-1000 v223 aThis article discusses the international protection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) by a UNESCO-based regime created by the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. This Convention has experienced very fast ratification (127 states parties less than seven years after its approval), but this is in no small part attributable to a certain lack of legal bite of the instrument. There are several layers of state sovereignty imbued in the instrument, as well as weak mechanisms for community participation. These are reflected by a state prerogative in determining what the intangible heritage within their territories is for international safeguarding purposes, therefore having the chance to stifle internal dissent by ignoring minority cultures or even appropriating them and depriving them of political meanings. The early practice under the Convention, including the first nominations, puts these structural shortcomings in further evidence. However, recent reforms to the operational directives for the implementation of the Convention have already taken decisive steps towards increasing community participation, even when this means eroding state privileges with regard to the Convention. a09385428 (ISSN)