Paper short abstract:

We investigate the role of ICH in unmaking rigid heritage narratives in the Western Balkans, post-conflict region still coping with unweaponized identities. When refocused on renewal, ICH is found to serve as a potent catalyst for reconciliation and development, contrary to our academic skepticism.

Paper long abstract:

In resonance with the panel's focus on the "unmaking" and "remaking" of heritage narratives, and drawing inspiration from the panel's exploration of contesting heritage definitions, the presentation delves into how ICH paradoxically becomes a key arena for challenging established narratives of collective identity in the troubled region of the Western Balkans. The exploration highlights the agency of local heritage communities in the Western Balkans in reshaping, reclaiming, and revitalizing their intangible culture - the "core" of collective identities - through unauthorized and critical forms of heritagization. We found that ICH serves as a vehicle for unmaking the dominance of state-sanctioned expertise, thus renewing labels, expertise, and temporalities associated with both "whole nations" and with the troubled region globally known for identity-based bloodshed. Central to the analysis is the role of ICH in challenging binary divides and fostering a sense of shared heritage. This presentation addresses the transformative potential of ICH for reconciliation among diverse communities who share-while-contest similar set of ICH elements. ICH there serves as a bridge, transcending geographical and political boundaries, but also that of local academic methodological nationalism(s), thereby contributing to the broader theme of renewing (that encompasses academia as an important heritage stakeholder). In doing so, it offers insights into alternative approaches to heritage, emphasizing the dynamic role of ICH, contrary to the fears predominant in the critical heritage studies discourse that it is always already conservative.