Where Do We Go From Here: A Qualitative Study of the Ethical and Legal Concerns Surrounding the Possibility of Restitution of Colonial Objects deemed to be looted in the Possession of Dutch Museums

Ma. Vhiktoria Valera SIVA

Master's thesis

Where Do We Go From Here: A Qualitative Study of the balancing act of the ethical and legal concerns surrounding the looted colonial artefacts in the Netherlands

Abstract:

In recent years, the Netherlands has been lauded for its openness in discussing its colonial history and for being a forerunner in the talks about the restitution of looted colonial objects in its possession. In 2020, news concerning the possibility of the return of thousands of objects deemed to be looted by Dutch colonialists circulated the media. Several Dutch museums also came forward with vocal support for a proposed legal structure that will facilitate the return of these objects. The museum organization of the Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen (NMVW) also published a document entitled: Return of Cultural Objects: Principles and Process which highlighted the organization's mission to address its museums' colonial past and to bring into focus the NMVW's commitment to the public. Additionally, the Dutch Minister for Science and Culture has also put forward a request for the creation of a legal framework to facilitate the proper handling of colonial objects in Dutch possession. These developments prove that the discourse surrounding the restitution of colonial objects are not only being affected by legal concerns but more importantly by ethical ones as well. It shows that the questions such as who truly owns these objects and who has the right to tell their stories are just as important as asking the logistic question of how do we return these objects to the proper parties? With this in mind, this research aims to look at the bigger picture of how the Netherlands, as a former colonizing power that is being put in the spotlight, is finding the balance between these legal and ethical concerns. A chapter of the Dutch case study will be provided and Key Informant Interviews with museum and cultural professionals in the Netherlands were done and analyzed through Thematic Analysis and Qualitative Analysis in order to create a complete understanding of the situation and to answer the main research question: How is the Netherlands developing in terms of decolonizing its museums and confronting its colonial past by looking into the possibility of restitution of colonial objects in its possession?

Abstract:

In recent years, the Netherlands has been lauded for its openness in discussing its colonial history and for being a forerunner in the talks about the restitution of looted colonial objects in its possession. In 2020, news concerning the possibility of the return of thousands of objects deemed to be looted by Dutch colonialists circulated the media. Several Dutch museums also came forward with vocal support for a proposed legal structure that will facilitate the return of these objects. The museum organization of the Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen (NMVW) also published a document entitled: Return of Cultural Objects: Principles and Process which highlighted the organization's mission to address its museums' colonial past and to bring into focus the NMVW's commitment to the public. Additionally, the Dutch Minister for Science and Culture has also put forward a request for the creation of a legal framework to facilitate the proper handling of colonial objects in Dutch possession. These developments prove that the discourse surrounding the restitution of colonial objects are not only being affected by legal concerns but more importantly by ethical ones as well. It shows that the questions such as who truly owns these objects and who has the right to tell their stories are just as important as asking the logistic question of how do we return these objects to the proper parties? With this in mind, this research aims to look at the bigger picture of how the Netherlands, as a former colonizing power that is being put in the spotlight, is finding the balance between these legal and ethical concerns. A chapter of the Dutch case study will be provided and Key Informant Interviews with museum and cultural professionals in the Netherlands were done and analyzed through Thematic Analysis and Qualitative Analysis in order to create a complete understanding of the situation and to answer the main research question: How is the Netherlands developing in terms of decolonizing its museums and confronting its colonial past by looking into the possibility of restitution of colonial objects in its possession?

Keywords

Restitution, Museums, Postcolonial, Decolonization

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 1. 8. 2021

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Lukáš Perutka, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
Humanities / Euroculture