Ethics, values and legality in the restoration of cultural artefacts: the case of South Africa

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Collins, A. ORCID: 0000-0001-9805-9091, Snowball, J. and Nwauche, E., 2021. Ethics, values and legality in the restoration of cultural artefacts: the case of South Africa. International Journal of Cultural Policy. ISSN 1028-6632

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2021.1995377

Abstract

As a relatively new democracy, South Africa is seeking ways to protect and promote its African heritage. As part of this process, there is increased interest in the repatriation of South African cultural artefacts, mostly taken during the colonial era, currently held in western museums. There are also increasing international calls for the repatriation of cultural artefacts from western museum collections back to their originating countries in the context of decolonisation and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. This paper examines the arguments for and against the repatriation of African cultural artefacts, from the point of view of an African country. A values-based approach is used to analyse the debate. The ways in which South Africa has made progress towards defining, and protecting, artefacts ‘of national importance’, as well as some of the repatriation experiences of other sub-Saharan countries, is discussed.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

International Journal of Cultural Policy

Creators:

Collins, A., Snowball, J. and Nwauche, E.

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

Date:

24 December 2021

ISSN:

1028-6632