Beyond to Return or Not to Return: Towards Relational Cultural Justice

Abstract

Abstract This chapter argues in favour of a pluralistic culture justice model, in order to overcome traditional impasses of restitution discourses. It first traces lessons from contemporary return practices, including the historical Dahomey returns and Benin bronzes. It then develops elements of a relational cultural justice approach. It introduces ethical and legal foundations of new forms of consent regarding the status of objects. It examines relational dimensions of procedures and the merits and limits of the concept of object mobility to break existing divides. It shows that new relations can be facilitated in a number of ways, such as return of ownership, modification of ownership relations, establishment of new forms of access and guardianship, participatory governance models, loan arrangements, ceremonial access, digital access, or transfer of rights. It concludes with some recommendations to rethink normative structures in domestic and international contexts and proposes principles of relational cultural justice.