Society Course Research Articles

Shattered Stones, Shattered Societies: Confronting Destruction of Cultural Property in Post-Transitional Societies

The universal phenomenon of destruction of cultural property is particularly prevalent in territories subjected to years of armed conflicts and within nations led by repressive regimes. Societies emerging from these conflicts or tyrannies have therefore to resolve, among numerous other dilemmas, the challenge of confronting past destruction of their cultural heritage. The article addresses some of the subject's complexities: conundrums involved in the restoration of cultural property; prosecution of perpetrators; the importance of addressing the crime and its repercussions through truth commissions and reparations programmes; and the protection of cultural property in the new constitutions of two post-transitional societies – Cambodia and Afghanistan. In recognition of the diversity of post-transitional societies, the article does not attempt to propose a singular conclusion regarding the implications of the destruction of cultural property on these societies. Rather, the article raises points for consideration and presents different perspectives on the potential tensions created in that field while underscoring the importance of addressing past destruction as an integral part of the society's course to reconciliation.

1993 Board of Directors Meeting Changes Society's Course

1993 Board of Directors Meeting Changes Society's Course

ACS ANNUAL REPORT 1974

On balance, 1974 was a hold-the-line year for ACS. It was the sixth consecutive year of close attention to costcutting, which started in 1969 when ACS members began falling victim to retrenchments in R&D programs. The society's ability to maintain its basic programs and even to expand its most-wanted services despite strict budgetary constraints has been the result of a truly exceptional effort by both the staff and the unpaid but indispensable volunteers who steer the society's course. A glimpse of how ACS fared over the past decade is given in the statistical review on page 36. Indicators for 1974 include the following: Finance . General fund revenues and expenses in 1974 were almost in balance at $33.8 million each. The $19,000 deficit recorded for the year was considerably less than the $896,000 deficit called for in the amended budget. The improvement was due mainly to expense reductions in Chemical Abstracts Service operations. Membership . For the ...