E-IHT: A Novel Ethical Methodology for the Integration of Intelligent ICT4D and Humanitarian Technologies, within the Framework of Cultural Preservation

Abstract

This paper presents the design of a methodology for approaching a territory with a substantial cultural value and an intense identification with the land to which they belong: we refer to the Araucanía, Chile, where the Mapuche native peoples demand the restitution of their lands and the recognition of their culture. Our proposal aims to offer an integrative and relational methodology for the study of Intangible Cultural Heritage, based on three pillars: Decolonisation as a process of reconfiguring the structure of research on native peoples, Regenerative Design for the recovery of the territory and its ecosystem, and Digital Humanities for its link between qualitative elements and cutting-edge technologies. To this end, the ethical use of digital techniques is explored by presenting two case studies: analysing their correct use (Translating the physical world into sound) and questioning the technology (Face Image Motion). Finally, a framework is elaborated for a sustainable future in which the pre-existence and the ecosystem occupy their rightful role in the natural development of the human being, redefining the role of the researcher: generalist and specialist, without disregarding the general context of the study.