Global Governance and Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Information Society: At the Crossroads of IPRs and Innovation

Globalization is the result of a combination of factors. The role of technology is a fundamental feature in shaping what globalization is and what it means for society as a whole. At the same time, important societal values are directly or indirectly affected by the global expansion of world trade and should be embraced to balance the extremes of globalization. From this background stems the ongoing debate about the methods by which the current intellectual property rights regime guarantees the protection of intangible goods that constitute cultural heritage. It is fundamental to ascertain whether the current intellectual property rights regime is a framework capable of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Indeed, the ability to protect and safeguard cultural heritage is of vital importance to some communities. Any misuse and misappropriation of intangible cultural heritage, therefore, do not merely constitute phenomena causing economic damage, but also violate the human rights and identity of a community.