The essential importance of intangible heritage as a core part of human understanding is being increasingly recognised both nationally and internationally. In 2003 UNESCO passed the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage and in so doing explicitly acknowledged the value of forms of cultural knowledge such as performance, song, storytelling and dance, and the practices that underpin tangible artistic outcomes. This course surveys key conventions and associated operational guidelines alongside questions of cultural politics, human rights, ownership and copyright. It explores the role of the museum and digital technology in safeguarding and curating intangible heritage. It also frames intangible heritage as a valuable concept for rethinking heritage as a cultural process in which the relationship between the tangible and intangible are renegotiated. Students are asked to consider intangible heritage in relation to key concepts including affect, identity, performativity, temporality, place, and memory. In so doing they will develop a sophisticated and well-informed approach to heritage work which considers the intangible alongside the material. In addition to Heritage and Museum Studies, this course may be of interest to student in history, anthropology, digital humanities and the performing arts.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of the main critical issues concerning intangible heritage in written and oral forms;
2. critically assess the policies, guidelines and procedures related to assessing and safeguarding intangible heritage;
3. identify examples of intangible heritage and develop projects through the application of relevant analytical tools and assessment procedures; and
4. analyse the role of intangible heritage in different contexts.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to ICH
2	UNESCO and ICH Convention
3	ICH and Politics
4	ICH disasters
5	ICH and traditions
6	ritual, dance and performance as ICH
7	ICH and digital in China
8	Copyright and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Properties
9	UNESCO Memory of the World
10	Medicinal Knowledge and Sustainable Development
11	Uluru: ICH Management on the Ground
12	Final Lecture, Summary and Reflections

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
SEMINAR DISCUSSION EXERCISE	10 %	1,4
DIARY	20 %	1,4
ESSAY	20 %	1,2,3
NOMINATION FORM AND ANALYSIS	50 %	1,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

SEMINAR DISCUSSION EXERCISE

Choose a weekly seminar topic and give a 10–15-minute presentation that summarises and critically analyses the major points and issues presented in the set readings. Students must then initiate and facilitate discussion on the set topic; a significant proportion of the marks will be based on this.

Assessment Task 2

DIARY

Students are asked to keep a diary of the main points/issues they have learned from each lecture. This should consist of 4-5 sentences and focus on the aspects that interest them the most and give a broad overview of the topic. They then create two or three questions for each lecture (the most interesting of these will be selected by the course convenor and answered in the summary lecture at the conclusion of the semester). These may involve additional things they would like to learn about the topic, or question the conclusions drawn by a lecturer, they may have ideas about future ways policies may evolve or even questions that arise about their own intangible cultural heritage. Marks will be given for showing extended thinking on the topic. 

Assessment Task 3

ESSAY

Choose two elements from the Lists of Intangible Culture Heritage and Register (e.g. two files from the Representative List, or two files from the Urgent Safeguarding List, OR one of each) and produce a detailed comparative analysis that examines and compares the nomination forms and additional related material (audiovisual as well as documentary) against the criteria as set out by UNESCO in the principles and guidelines of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Additional relevant source material can be drawn upon for this study. 

Assessment Task 4

NOMINATION FORM AND ANALYSIS

This research assignment consists of 2 parts. 

Part 1. The first part requires you to put forward your own nomination for an element to be inscribed on the representative list for UNESCO. Nomination forms can be found at https://ich.unesco.org/en/forms. You will need to search on this page for the correct form. This element can be from your own cultural heritage background or an element from around the world that has not been included on the representative list to date but could be considered worthy of nomination. This will be approximately 1500- 2000 words. We will discuss this further in tutorials, closer to the time. If you don’t have some of the information eg: contact names, etc you can make these up. 

Part 2. The second part of the assignment requires you to take an extended look at what innovative ways you can think of to “future-proof” your element. You need to think about the community involved, what challenges there will be, and what makes your element vulnerable – consider some of the threats to ICH discussed in class. If you don’t think this kind of “future-proofing” or safeguarding is possible, explain why and what should be done instead. 

The essay should be framed by and engage closely with recent scholarly work and debates in the relevant area. The bibliography should comprise 10 to 15 relevant references. The nominated element should be finalised in consultation with the course convenor. 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students