Inconvenient heritage : colonial collections and restitution in the Netherlands and Belgium / Jos van Beurden.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Beurden, Jos van, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cultural property--Developing countries.

Cultural property.

Museums--Collection management--Netherlands.

Museums.

Museums--Collection management--Belgium.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (248 p.)

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Inconvenient Heritage

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam : Routledge, 2025.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The discussion about objects, ancestral remains and archives from former colonial territories is becoming increasingly heated. Over the centuries, a multitude of items - including a cannon of the King of Kandy, power-objects from DR Congo, Benin bronzes, Javanese temple statues, Maori heads and strategic documents - has ended up in museums and private collections in Belgium and the Netherlands by improper means. Since gaining independence, former colonies have been calling for the return of their lost heritage. As continued possession of these objects only grows more uncomfortable, governments and museums must decide what to do. How did these objects get here? Are they all looted, and how can we find out? How does restitution work in practice? Are there any appealing examples? How do other former colonial powers deal with restitution? Do former colonies trust their intentions? The answers to these questions are far from unambiguous, but indispensable for a balanced discussion.

Contents:

Preface, Two countries in one book - In search of a framework - About this research, Part I: A Decisive Phase in an Old Debate? 1. Choosing Colonial Collections, 2. The Great Heritage Migration, 3. Museums in Motion, 4. The 'Sans-Papiers' of Colonialism, Part II: Thrifty Returns in the 1970s, 5. Indonesia, the Netherlands and Diponegoro's Kris, 6. Congo, Belgium and Leopold's Troublesome Legacy, 7. Suriname, the Caribbean and the Netherlands: More Returns on the Way?, Part III: Recent Returns, 8. The Campaign for Maori Heads, 9. Fruitful Cooperation around Archives, 10. Farewell to Over 18,000 Objects from the Museum Nusantara, 11. Benin Dialogue Group: A Model for a European Approach?, Part IV: Private Collections - Less Visible, but Not Less Important, 12. Missionary Organisations and Superfluous Collections, 13. Colonial Objects in Trade and with Private Persons, Part V: Towards a New Ethics, 14. Lessons from Settler Colonies and the Restitution of Nazi-looted Art, 15. Trust, Equality and Justice, Acknowledgements, Consulted sources, Index.

Notes:

First published in 2022 by Amsterdam University Press Ltd.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.

ISBN:

1-04-079046-1

1-003-69790-9

9781003697909

OCLC:

1547759482