Who Owns Antiquity?: Museums and the Battle over Our Ancient Heritage
by James Cuno
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Book Summary Information
Author: James CunoEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-04-21
ISBN: 0691137129
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Book Reviews of Who Owns Antiquity?: Museums and the Battle over Our Ancient Heritage
Book Review: A Fair Presentation of the Case Against Nationalism
Summary: 4 Stars
Whether or not you agree with Cuno's conclusions, he makes a fair case against nationalism as it pertains to the disposition of cultural property. The book is well-researched and well-written, an easy read considering the headiness of the subject matter. I would not call it a scholarly piece because it does not present evidence contrary to the thesis. However, if you understand that and take the book for what its worth, it will give you insight into the position of those in support of encyclopedic museums.
My only real complaint about Cuno's book is that he fails to distinguish between nations and local communities. He has stated, "There are many reasons to be critical of nationalism. But it is enough now to point out simply that national identity based on the presumption of inheritance from ancient cultures is a fiction." Whether or not this is true (which it may very well be), there are still local communities who may have very real emotional ties to the objects which their ancestors made. Indigenous descendants of creator cultures might not have the political pull to assert their interests on the international level, but that does not mean any affection they experience toward the item is a fiction. Nationalism? Sure, I'll give him that, but the indigenous people are another story.
It's like saying that the United States can't very well lay claim to Native American artifacts because the dominant culture isn't remotely Native American. But to extrapolate that to conclude that Native Americans should not rely on their own history to form their identity is obviously absurd.
I agree with Cuno that there are problems with national cultural property laws, but not because they take artifacts away from Western museums. I have problems with them to the extent that they use indigenous identity platforms to repatriate artifacts and the indigenous people do not usually benefit in any tangible or direct way from the acquisition.
Cuno ignores the distinction between creator cultures and the national governments that are home to those creator cultures. The creator cultures end up being a casualty of his crusade against nationalism.
So the book is excellent, just take it for what its worth -- a museum director arguing a thesis which defends the institutions he works on behalf of.
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