TY - JOUR
KW - Community participation (THE\_204)
KW - Museums (THE\_5282)
KW - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GB)
AU - Rhianedd Smith
AB - This paper is an attempt to explore the challenges of defining intangible heritage and  community  in England. It uses as its case study the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading: an urban museum with a rural theme. The paper examines current theoretical discourse around the concept of the  first voice and debate about the role of museums in the preservation of intangible heritage. It then examines the relevance of these concepts to the identification of  rural  intangible heritage stake holders in England. In this way, it shows the potential for concepts of intangible heritage to influence national museums. However, by applying theory and practice which is designed to support work with well-defined  originating communities  to a national museum, it also highlights the challenges of initiating community engagement in a multicultural society.
BT - International Journal of Intangible Heritage
N2 - This paper is an attempt to explore the challenges of defining intangible heritage and  community  in England. It uses as its case study the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading: an urban museum with a rural theme. The paper examines current theoretical discourse around the concept of the  first voice and debate about the role of museums in the preservation of intangible heritage. It then examines the relevance of these concepts to the identification of  rural  intangible heritage stake holders in England. In this way, it shows the potential for concepts of intangible heritage to influence national museums. However, by applying theory and practice which is designed to support work with well-defined  originating communities  to a national museum, it also highlights the challenges of initiating community engagement in a multicultural society.
PY - 2009
SP - 13
EP - 25
T2 - International Journal of Intangible Heritage
TI - Finding the  First Voice  in rural England: the challenges of safeguarding intangible heritage in a national museum
VL - 4
SN - 1975-3586
ER -