Introduction: Ritual, Heritage and Identity in a Globalised World Part I: Framing Heritage 1. Heritage in Ritual and Identity Gregory Ashworth 2. The 'Ritualisation of Ritual' in the Construction of Heritage Richard Handler 3. Useable Pasts -- Creative Futures: How Normative Recognition Opens New Horizons for Publicly Committed Scholars Christine M. Merkel 4. Performativity and Dynamics of Intangible Cultural Heritage Christoph Wulf Part II: Ethnography and Practice 5. The Cultural Politics of Transnational Heritage Rituals: Akshardham Cultural Complex in New Delhi Christiane Brosius 6. Political Patronage and Ritual Competitions at Dussehra Festival in Northern India Daniela Berti 7. Heritage, Art and Elections: Popular Culture, Ritual and Political Competition in Uttarakhand Karin Polit 8. Randala Ritual: Women's Heritage and Identity in Gujarat, India Purnima Shah 9. Synthesising Practice and Performance, Securing Recognition: Thangmi Cultural Heritage in Nepal and India Sara Shneiderman 10. From 'Wasteful Superstition' to 'Beautiful Tradition': Changing Assessments of Popular Ritual in Late Socialist Vietnam Kirsten W. Endres 11. Scripturalisation of Ritual in Eastern Nepal Martin Gaenszle. About the Editors. Note on Contributors. Index.