Shaman and Intangible Heritage in Northern China. Critical Heritage Studies, UNESCO, and Media Archaeology

Abstract

The 21st-century media landscape is transforming how cultural heritage is perceived, practiced, and sustained. While media technologies accelerate global exchanges, tensions persist, if not deepen—between the obsolete and the innovative, local traditions and global narratives, and the past and an uncertain future. These challenges complicate efforts to sustain cultural heritage in inclusive, resilient, and ecologically attuned ways. This book examines how media technologies, environmental shifts, and transcultural exchanges are reshaping intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in contemporary China. Integrating historical, cultural, and technological perspectives, it challenges colonial and modernist biases that have marginalized shamanistic practices and critiques conventional notions of authenticity. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory, Entanglement Theory, Panpsychism, and Indigenous ontologies, it offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between human and non-human actors in heritage-making, repositioning “animism” and “shamanism” as interconnected systems that foster ecological stewardship, cultural resilience, and sustainable governance. It also interrogates UNESCO’s heritage frameworks, highlighting both their potential and limitations in safeguarding shamanistic expressions. Through an interdisciplinary lens blending material-oriented media archaeology with socially conscious critical heritage studies, it interrogates how digital technologies—from animation and immersive storytelling to ICH nomination videos—mediate heritage and shape perceptions. It reveals how media acts as a cultural broker and a disruptive force, reinforcing or challenging marginalization and dominant narratives while fostering participatory, reflexive heritage-making. This approach reintroduces human agency into discussions of technology and sustainability, framing ICH safeguarding as a global niche construction project integral to achieving resilient and sustainable futures. By bridging cultural tradition and media innovation, it provides a timely roadmap for researchers, policymakers, and heritage and media practitioners navigating the complexities of heritage safeguarding, digital transformation, and sustainability. It advocates for participatory and interdisciplinary approaches that value local knowledge and nuance, cultural diversity, and adaptive strategies in an era of rapid socio-technological transformation.