Contribution long abstract:

The People’s Republic of China was the sixth country to ratify the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Effective June 2024, the United Kingdom became the 183rd. China has developed a complex, well-funded eco-system for recognising and managing heritage. The UK is figuring out what the future holds. But in both countries, diverse populations raise the question of whose heritage is recognised or heard. Based on experiences building connections with folklorists in the People’s Republic of China both as a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, and dating back to a postdoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, I will discuss perspectives on building collaborations with folklorists in illiberal countries as part of attempts to reach under-represented communities. In doing so, I seek to highlight questions of representation and voice in an increasingly international discipline of folkloristics, and also the importance (and difficulties) of collaborating across difference.