In recent years, many museums and universities have begun to address past colonial injustices by critically examining their collections of human remains, often leading to their restitution to their assumed countries of origins. Such efforts are usually framed as acts of recognition, reconciliation, and repair. However, the diverse difficulties and frictions that accompany restitutions often escape public attention. This post introduces some of such difficulties that need to be taken into account to understand the complexity of restitution processes.
Author: Phila M. Msimang
Phila M. Msimang is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Stellenbosch University. His current work deals with the challenges of conceptualising group descriptors in the sciences. In this, he focuses on how the concept of race is used across disciplines. This aspect of his research looks to answer questions about how and under what circumstances classifications of community, identity, socio-political affiliation, social difference, and biological difference become variables of social and scientific significance.
