This volume investigates the efficacy and real-world impact of the 2003 UNESCO Convention on Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage as it relates to global music practices. Editors Huib Schippers and Anthony Seeger, both established scholars in ethnomusicology and cultural policy, curate a collection of essays that evaluate the intersection of international policy frameworks and local musical traditions. The text synthesizes historical analysis with contemporary case studies to argue that while the convention raised global awareness, significant discrepancies persist between institutional ideologies and the practical realities of community-based music sustainability.

Experts and scholars in the field of ethnomusicology identify this work as a critical assessment of the first two decades of UNESCO's intangible heritage framework. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the contributions and the balance between policy critique and practical application for cultural practitioners.