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Repatriation from Scottish Museums: A Short Report

Publication date: 18.04.2023

Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 2022, 2/2022 (8), pp. 427 - 442

https://doi.org/10.4467/2450050XSNR.22.027.17040

Authors

,
Neil G.W. Curtis
University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4437-0460 Orcid
All publications →
Steph C. Scholten
University of Glasgow
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5293-2756 Orcid
All publications →

Titles

Repatriation from Scottish Museums: A Short Report

Abstract

Scotland’s museums include many collections that are the result of Scotland’s involvement in the British Empire. These include items that were fairly and legally collected, but also include items that were acquired as military loot, those that reflect power imbalances in favour of collectors, and ancestral remains that were acquired to demonstrate theories of racial supremacy. This past has left problematic legacies that museums in Scotland are now addressing, including by their involvement in repatriation. This paper reviews the repatriations that have taken place since 1990, noting a focus on the return of ancestral remains and the recent increase in the number of cases. It also considers the legal, political, and cultural backgrounds to the decisions, including how international moves towards decolonization and aimed at addressing racism in museums are interacting with Scotland’s own complex relationship with colonialism as well as the political debate about the identity and future of the nation.

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Information

Information: Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 2022, 2/2022 (8), pp. 427 - 442

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:
Repatriation from Scottish Museums: A Short Report
English:

Repatriation from Scottish Museums: A Short Report

Authors

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4437-0460

Neil G.W. Curtis
University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4437-0460 Orcid
All publications →

University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, United Kingdom

Published at: 18.04.2023

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Neil G.W. Curtis (Author) - 50%
Steph C. Scholten (Author) - 50%

Article corrections:

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Publication languages:

English

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<p> Repatriation from Scottish Museums: A Short Report</p>