TITLE:
Digital Humanities Strategy for Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage’s International Expansion from a Global South Perspective
AUTHORS:
Yulin Yao
KEYWORDS:
Global South, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Digital Humanities, South-South Cooperation
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.8,
August
19,
2025
ABSTRACT: Grounded in a Global South perspective, this study conducts an in-depth analysis of how digital humanities methods can forge new pathways for Chinese intangible cultural heritage to reach the world. The research reveals that the current international cultural exchange landscape is undergoing profound transformation, with the traditional Western-centric model gradually declining and being replaced by a new paradigm of South-South cooperation that emphasizes equality and mutual benefit. Through critical reflection on digital colonialism, innovative applications of emerging technologies in cultural preservation, systematic examination of Chinese policy practices, and in-depth analysis of international cooperation mechanisms, this paper argues that China, leveraging its status as a major Global South nation and its digital technological advantages, has both the capability and responsibility to construct a new model of international communication that can resist cultural hegemony while promoting genuine cultural dialogue. The research emphasizes that successful international digitization of intangible cultural heritage is not merely a simple application of technology, but requires seeking a dynamic balance between maintaining cultural authenticity and embracing technological innovation, achieving organic unity between respecting community subjectivity and expanding international influence. Digital cultural sovereignty and technologically-empowered cultural autonomy may provide Chinese wisdom for the reconstruction of the global cultural governance system.