The Restitution Dialogues: A Transnational Conversation on Cultural Loss, Return and Renewal
Restitution—the return of property that was wrongly taken–is an old legal idea that is enjoying dramatic new life. From claims for the return of Nazi-looted artworks, books and archives, to demands for the return of human remains or the repatriation of Indigenous cultural artifacts, to claims for the restitution of colonial artefacts, these new demands to ‘give it back’ are making themselves felt across the globe. As more and more individuals and groups seek the return of precious property that was wrongly taken, institutions, individuals and governments struggle to respond. The Restitution Dialogues seek to cast new light on these difficult issues by beginning a trans-jurisdictional conversation with academics, practitioners, policy makers, affected communities and those seeking return.