Course Catalogue

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This course invites you to engage critically and creatively with one of the most urgent debates in the cultural sphere today: the restitution of cultural property and heritage removed by colonial powerhouses competing for territory and resources. Through discussion and case studies, you will explore the legal, ethical, political, anti-political, and curatorial discourses that shape restitution claims, learning how to evaluate arguments and construct clear, evidence-based positions of your own. You will strengthen transferable skills in argumentation, critical thinking, and dialogue, preparing you to contribute thoughtfully to contemporary cultural and heritage debates.

1 x 1 hr Lecture and 1 x 1 hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

The course is available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry in History of Art and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.

None

None

Debate, 10 minutes plus 1000-word written submission, 50%

Exam, 2 hours, 50%

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ Enquire into the effect of the definitions, working definitions, meaning and scope attributed to terms denoting prominent cultural treasure and living cultural heritage;

■ Enquire into the 'rules' and the 'structures' in respect of prominent examples of cultural property and heritage;

■ Form an understanding of the interests served and suppressed by the predominant discourse of prominent examples of cultural property and heritage;

■ Encourage critical thinking about museum practice in respect of the display and loans of cultural property and cultural heritage.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Distinguish between political, non-political, legal, ethical and curatorial discourses pertaining to cases such as the Parthenon Sculptures and Indigenous and Native American sacred medicine bundles

■ Identify and describe the predominant discourse(s) along with the factors and conditions that constitute it

■ Formulate coherent viewpoints on the legitimacy and justifiability of restitution claims made in respect of cases such as the Parthenon Sculptures and Indigenous and Native American sacred medicine bundles

■ Comprehend the implications of curatorial discourse and decisions for the movement, display and loans of cultural property, and ultimately for inter-cultural dialogue