Inconvenient Heritage

Dr. Jos van Beurden is a senior researcher colonial cultural collections and restitution (Free University, Amsterdam). His most recent publications are: Treasures in Trusted Hands – Negotiating the Future of Colonial Cultural Objects (Leiden 2017) (nominated for the NWO Boekman Dissertation Price), and The Return of Cultural and Historical Treasures – The Case of the Netherlands (Amsterdam 2012). For his merits in the cultural heritage field, Van Beurden was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau. Jos van Beurden is founder of the news-clipping service RM* (restitution matters).

• Preface Two countries in one book – In search of a framework – About this research Part I: A Decisive Phase in an Old Debate? 1. Choosing Colonial Collections 2. The Great Heritage Migration 3. Museums in Motion 4. The ‘Sans-Papiers’ of Colonialism Part II: Thrifty Returns in the 1970s 5. Indonesia, the Netherlands and Diponegoro’s Kris 6. Congo, Belgium and Leopold’s Troublesome Legacy 7. Suriname, the Caribbean and the Netherlands: More Returns on the Way? Part III: Recent Returns 8. The Campaign for Maori Heads 9. Fruitful Cooperation around Archives 10. Farewell to Over 18,000 Objects from the Museum Nusantara 11. Benin Dialogue Group: A Model for a European Approach? Part IV: Private Collections – Less Visible, but Not Less Important 12. Missionary Organisations and Superfluous Collections 13. Colonial Objects in Trade and with Private Persons Part V: Towards a New Ethics 14. Lessons from Settler Colonies and the Restitution of Nazi-looted Art 15. Trust, Equality and Justice Acknowledgements Consulted sources Index