Community-engaged digital safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage: a review of methods and challenges

This review, guided by the Technology-Community Synergy Framework (TCSF), synthesizes 79 studies (2010–2025) on digital intangible cultural heritage (ICH) safeguarding. Effective preservation requires synergizing digital methods with community participation to enhance ICH’s liveness; technology-focused but community-shallow projects risk digital fossilization. Key challenges like the digital divide are examined. The TCSF operationalizes UNESCO’s people-centered ethos for equitable, sustainable ICH safeguarding in the digital age.