The debate over cultural restitution is not just an academic exercise; it is an active, ongoing negotiation between sovereign nations, international law, and global institutions.
In this assignment, you will step away from traditional academic writing and step into a diplomatic and administrative role. You will record a 3-to-5-minute audio or video statement adopting the persona of a high-level cultural official (e.g. a high-level person in a government who makes decisions or recommendations about culture and cultural institutions). Your task is to weigh the concept of the "Universal Museum" against the argument that artifacts belong in their cultural and spiritual home, using a specific artifact from your Module 2 assignment to anchor your policy recommendation.
Step 1: Choose Your Persona and Institution Select one of the following roles for your broadcast:
- A culture administrator/minister for a Western nation (e.g., UK, Germany, USA) defending or rethinking a national collection. "We should be able to keep this/give this back because…"
- A culture administrator/minister for an African nation (e.g., Nigeria) making a formal, diplomatic demand for restitution. "You should give this back because…
Step 2: Select a Specific Artifact
Anchor your argument in reality. Use one of your artifacts from Module 3 to serve as the case study for your policy statement.
Step 3: Script and Record Your Policy Cast Record a 3-to-5-minute audio or video statement. You may use Canvas Studio, your phone's voice memo app, or any video recording software. Your broadcast must include the following elements:
- The Introduction: Clearly state who you are (your persona) and the specific artifact/collection you are addressing.
- The Policy Comparison: You must explicitly compare and contrast the frameworks of the 2002 Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums and the 2018 Sarr-Savoy Report.
- The Core Argument: Weigh the concept of the "universal museum" (the idea that artifacts serve humanity best when held in global hubs) against the argument for cultural and spiritual restitution.
- The Recommendation: Conclude with a clear, actionable policy recommendation for your government or museum board regarding the artifact in question