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Graber, Christoph B.; Kuprecht, Karolina; Lai, Jessica C. --- "Preface" [2012] ELECD 1163; in Graber, Beat Christoph; Kuprecht, Karolina; Lai, Christine Jessica (eds), "International Trade in Indigenous Cultural Heritage" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012) xxi

Book Title: International Trade in Indigenous Cultural Heritage

Editor(s): Graber, Beat Christoph; Kuprecht, Karolina; Lai, Christine Jessica

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9780857938305

Section Title: Preface

Author(s): Graber, Christoph B.; Kuprecht, Karolina; Lai, Jessica C.

Number of pages: 4

Extract:

Preface
Christoph B. Graber, Karolina Kuprecht and Jessica C. Lai

The aim of this book, which is the result of a multi-year research project, is to study how
international law could better contribute to promoting trade and development in indig-
enous cultural heritage (ICH) while, at the same time, respecting indigenous peoples'
traditional values. The cover image of this book captures one of the core ideas that we want
to bring across: there are acceptable uses of indigenous cultural heritage, but there is also
much misappropriation and inappropriate use, as illustrated by the Cherokee car and the
Russian ice skaters wearing inauthentic Aboriginal attire (image source: AP) to qualify for
and compete in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, for example. The image represents
the question of how it is that we could best `rope in' the trade of these inappropriate uses.
The book emphasises a comprehensive meaning of the term ICH as frequently used by
indigenous peoples themselves by incorporating tangible and intangible aspects as well as
moveable and immoveable objects of indigenous peoples' cultures (including traditional
cultural expressions, knowledge, practices and property). The research question inevitably
poses difficult problems of legitimacy and method, as Christoph Graber's chapter demon-
strates at the beginning of this book. Reflecting these difficulties, the research process
leading to the present book was informed and guided by the precept of participative
research, which is a typical feature of a transdisciplinary research methodology. The
concept of participation was implemented by bringing together an eclectic ...