World Heritage law, Indigenous Peoples, and the nature–culture divide: Reconciling criteria with emerging practice

Indigenous ontologies and the World Heritage Convention's nature-culture divide can be reconciled through adaptive criteria. The 1972 World Heritage Convention, while successful in global heritage protection, has faced criticism for its rigid separation of cultural and natural heritage, which often overlooks Indigenous peoples' inseparable relationships with land. A case study on Pimachiowin Aki demonstrates that advisory bodies are actively working to bridge this gap despite structural barriers. The research suggests that amending World Heritage criteria to reflect emerging practices could foster more inclusive and holistic recognition of Indigenous peoples within the convention's framework.

Campbell, S. (2026). World Heritage law, Indigenous Peoples, and the nature–culture divide: Reconciling criteria with emerging practice. International Journal of Cultural Property, 33. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0940739126100484