Activities of the UNESCO Chair
The aim of the UNESCO Chair on Applied Studies of Intangible Cultural Heritage is to enhance learning, teaching and scientific research at the University of Tartu. It also takes a wider approach and aims to contribute both theoretically and practically to the field of heritage – via international cooperation as well as in the Estonian society.
The scope of applied studies of intangible cultural heritage reaches out from the field of humanities. Cultural heritage is inevitably linked to social, economic and environmental issues. Hera reSome examples of topics that are addressed on international level: community action, ownership, livelihoods, food culture, small businesses, tourism, rural settlements, environmentally sustainable practices, traditional medicine.
- When it comes to learning and teaching at the university, the UNESCO Chair focuses first and fore most on MA and doctoral studies. We rely on existing curricula in the fields of ethnology, folkloristics and cultural management, including the English language MA programme “Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies“.
The Chair will also bring visiting lecturers to Tartu, notably from other UNESCO Chairs. We are also planning to create an international postdoctoral programme in cooperation with other universities.
- In the field of research, the UNESCO Chair aims to enhance international cooperation. We would also like to increase interest in Estonia for intangible cultural heritage which has internationally become a highly topical field of research.
- Contribution to the Estonian society. An important goal is to disseminate the results of research done by students and scientists among the people who are working with cultural heritage and heritage politics, including NGOs. To this end seminars and discussions are organised.
We are in the process of preparing an online publication in Estonian language for people working in the field of heritage. The publication will be based on the research done in the framework of the project “Cultural heritage as a socio-cultural resource and contested field“.
- 2003 Convention Research Bibliography
The UNESCO has created an international online bibliography for research references related to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and its implementation. The UNESCO Chair at the University of Tartu supports the project by reviewing entries and adding references form Estonia.