Who Owns Culture?

Cultural property and patrimony disputes in an age without borders

Michael Janeway and András Szántó

2001, 166 pages. National Arts Journalism Program, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

"Who Owns Culture?" — a three-day conference held at Columbia University in April 1999 — brought together experts, policymakers, journalists, lawyers, museum professionals, and representatives of the trade in arts and antiquities to debate controversial issues surrounding cultural property and patrimony. This report consists of the proceedings from the panels and open discussion and explores the themes that emerge through the controversies with an eye toward solutions. Selected conference panel and report chapter topics include “What Is Cultural Property?” “War and Cultural Property,” “Ethics and Current Claims,” and “Toward a National and International Framework.” The report also includes a selected bibliography and resources on the Web. Both the conference and report were supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts.