The New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU is presenting the following:
Antiquities Wars
A conversation about loot and legitimacy
Wednesday, November 19th, 7 pm
NYU’s Hemmerdinger Hall
Silver Center for Arts and Science
100 Washington Square East
James Cuno
Director, The Art Institute of Chicago
Author, Who Owns Antiquity?
Sharon Waxman
Formerly of The New York Times
Author, Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World
Kwame Anthony Appiah
Philosopher, Princeton University
Author, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers
Daniel Shapiro
International Cultural Property Society
President Emeritus
Free to the public. For more information: 212.998.2101 or nyih.info@nyu.edu
Questions or Comments? Email me at derek.fincham@gmail.com
It is interesting to notice that disputes about restitution of looted/stolen cultural objects are described as “antiquities wars”. Could we humbly suggest to our friends on the other side of the Atlantic to get away from the military frame of mind and stop using the language of violence. Inverted commas do not change
much. In an age where so many have died from war,I find it difficult to accept this usage. Is the English language so poor that we could not find an alternative word,especially since we all agree that a certain amount of cooperation is desirable in this matter?
Kwame Opoku
You make a good point. I find it distasteful as well, but I don’t have much choice as that’s the name they’ve chosen for this event. “War” is a very common term in all kinds of contexts, particularly sports.
The event itself looks to be very promising though.