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The Intangible Cultural Heritage between Sustainability and Dissolution Romanian Case Studies. Transylvanian Review, 34(2).

The article addresses Romanian case studies, presenting three examples of how local intangible cultural heritage has been understood and managed by national and local authorities for community development after Romania’s ratification of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. A major challenge identified in safeguarding such practices is linked to the modernization of daily life, resulting from increased living standards, combined with depopulation and the decline in the number of traditional performers. Following an introduction, the article analyzes three complementary practices: (1) the men’s group caroling, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; (2) the Romanian wedding ritual uitoare, illustrated by the example of an elderly woman proposed as a Living Human Treasure; and (3) the endangered craft of Șișești pottery, supported by the local community. Each case study is described and analyzed based on field research conducted by the authors and archival resources from the West University of Timișoara. The study concludes with a synthesis of findings and is accompanied by a series of illustrative images.

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