Argumentative Aspects of Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums (2002)

Agnieszka Plata

Abstract


The aim of this paper is to analyze Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums as an element of an argumentative discourse on restitution of cultural objects. Declaration raises issues that are inalienable from the subject of the return of cultural goods removed from their place of origin prior to establishing legal norms on protection of cultural heritage. Restitution arguments such as arguments from cultural affiliation, passage of time and social utility remain a part of argumentation used by universal museums. The author believes that from the reasoning which supports the argument from cultural affiliation one may crystallize an argument from cultural affiliation to all humankind. The text of Declaration shows that in the course of the statement defending the retention of cultural objects, the meaning of cultural affiliation gets complicated to the point where signatories of Declaration, supporting the idea of universalism, emphasize the bond between museum community and the object. Specific character of cultural objects causes confrontation of a variety of rationales. Perceiving restitution of cultural objects as a hard case invites a possibility that there is often more than one justified solution.

Keywords


restitution; cultural heritage; cultural nationalism; universal museum; restitution arguments; hard case

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5102/rdi.v17i3.7042

ISSN 2236-997X (impresso) - ISSN 2237-1036 (on-line)

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