Indeterminacy in the cultural property restitution debate
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12340666 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Pauno Soirila (0000-0001-7275-4176, University of Helsinki, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2021-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Cultural Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1028-6632 • E-ISSN: 1477-2833 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10286632.2021.1908275 |
| OpenAlex | W3148109916 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 29 |
The debate over the restitution of cultural property is usually framed as the dispute between what John Henry Merryman defined as 'cultural nationalism' and 'cultural internationalism': the opposite viewpoints that argue whether cultural heritage objects should be returned to their countries of origin or spread around the world as determined by other principles. I argue, however, that the concepts are problematic both in their definition and their perception as two dialectically opposed sides of a dispute. This article analyses the restitution debate by examining some of the most important arguments and counterarguments used in the debate and by comparing them to the international law 'New Stream' theory. It is revealed that a similar indeterminacy which defines international law in the theory also defines the restitution debate, and that cultural nationalism and internationalism do not in fact provide answers to the debate but only function as two entry points that echo each other without a way to end the debate. Therefore, it is necessary to see beyond the two concepts in order to find solutions to the disputes
Cultural heritage · Epistemology · Indeterminacy (philosophy · Internationalism (politics · Law and economics · Nationalism · Political science · Politics · Restitution · Sociology · Archaeological Research and Protection · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Law · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Philosophy
Who Owns Antiquity?
From Apology to Utopia
Keeping Their Marbles. How the Treasures of the Past ended up in Museums – and why they should stay there
The Human Dimension of International Cultural Heritage Law
From Apology to Utopia—The structure of international legal argument
An Essay on the International Trade in Art
Two Ways of Thinking about Cultural Property
Imperialism, Art and Restitution
Thinking about the Elgin Marbles
Museums and restitution
Rethinking the global heritage discourse - overcoming 'East' and 'West
Critical heritage studies and the legacies of the late-twentieth century heritage canon
The International Movement of Cultural Objects
Cultural Heritage' or 'Cultural Property
The Elgin Marbles
The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property
Contesting Human Remains in Museum Collections
| Citations per year | 0.67 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2024 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |