Cultural Heritage Law Commons^™

Democratizing Restitution: Trust As An Equitable Approach To Competing Claims On Cultural Heritage Objects, Britta Redwood

Articles

As formerly colonized states began to win their independence in the mid-twentieth century, a growing chorus of voices called on museums in London, Paris, Berlin, and other European cities to return objects taken during the colonial period. Having largely ignored these requests until recently, museums throughout Europe and the United States have begun negotiating returns of these objects to their rightful owners. There is a growing recognition among Western cultural institutions that continuing to hold cultural heritage objects taken under conditions of coercion or violence is morally untenable. More recently, some scholars have argued for a human rights approach to …

Burying The Burden: A Sovereign’S Duty Of Investigation Post-Republic Of Turkey V. Christie’S Inc., Caitlin H. French

Cardozo Law Review

This Note explores the intersection of cultural heritage law and U.S. property law through the lens of Republic of Turkey v. Christie’s Inc., a significant case involving the contested ownership of the ancient Anatolian “Stargazer” figurine. The Note explores how longstanding doctrines of property and the equitable defense of laches interact with international legal frameworks and patrimony laws aimed at preserving cultural heritage material. The case underscores tensions between cultural nationalism and internationalism, sovereign ownership claims under foreign patrimony laws, and the protections afforded to good-faith purchasers under U.S. law. The Note identifies two key legal issues at play: (1) …

Should They Stay, Or Should They Go? Statue Politics In Shifting Societies: The Permissibility Of Peacetime Removal, Alteration And Destruction Of Problematic Political Monuments In The United States, Adrienne Liebenberg Nel

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note argues that Confederate monuments in the U.S. are often protected by outdated preservationist laws that hinder efforts to remove or alter them, despite their association with systemic racism and oppression. It advocates for legal reform to allow local governments to address these problematic symbols, drawing on international examples and emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that respects history while promoting inclusivity.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do: Inconsistencies In International Cultural Property Repatriation, Samantha Anderson

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The note critiques the United States' application of international cultural property laws, arguing that it misuses these laws for political and diplomatic leverage rather than adhering to their ethical and legal purposes. It highlights inconsistencies in how the U.S. handles repatriation cases, favoring foreign nations like Peru and Cambodia while neglecting the cultural heritage of Native American communities. The note advocates for a more equitable and consistent approach to cultural property repatriation, emphasizing the need for clearer definitions and reciprocal agreements.

The Art Market Down Under: A Case Study Of Australian Aboriginal Art Market Regulation And U.S. Art Market Implications, Daniel Day

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The note examines the contrasting regulatory landscapes of the U.S. and Australian art markets, highlighting how excessive regulation can inadvertently harm market value and artist livelihoods. It argues that while the U.S. art market operates with minimal federal oversight, Australia’s heavily regulated indigenous art market has suffered unintended consequences, such as weakened sales and increased market supply. The analysis serves as a cautionary tale for the U.S. as it considers stronger regulation of its own art market.

Arbitrating Cultural Property Disputes, Elizabeth Varner

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

Years drag by, vicious allegations fly across the world stage, parties die frustrated. While cultural property disputes are frequently arbitrated internationally, arbitration is not often used in domestic cultural property disputes. One of the paradoxes of cultural property disputes is the need to resolve the issue while not harming the parties' reputation or devaluing the cultural property. While scholars have shown much interest in arbitrating cultural property disputes in the United States, maximizing the potential of arbitration in cultural property disputes has largely been ignored.

Rejecting the acceptability of litigating cultural property disputes in the battlefield of the courtroom, this …

A Meteorite And A Lost City: Mutually Beneficial Solutions Through Alternative Dispute Resolution, Sam Markowitz

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note proceeds in a number of parts. Part I will present two case studies: First, the Willamette Meteorite and the agreement between the Grand Ronde Tribe and the AMNH; and second, the recent agreement between Peru and Yale University regarding artifacts from Machu Picchu. Part II will briefly explain and outline Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and the methods through which successful resolution to disputes are achieved, specifically noting that in the last decade, cultural property disputes have been increasingly resolved through ADR. Part III will compare the agreements reached in both instances, proposing several reasons why these agreements worked …

Much Ado About Evocation: A Cultural Analysis Of "Well-Knownness" And The Right Of Publicity, David Tan

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.