The return of the cultural objects displaced during the colonial era: An overview of solutions, challenges and misgivings from the perspective of international law

This chapter focuses on the return claims concerning the objects of cultural or historical importance looted during the colonial era in non-European territories. This is a very complex and large topic; therefore, this chapter aims to only highlight the inherent limits of the law with respect to such claims, and to map out the developments that have sparked - seemingly - the momentum toward the reparation for historical wrongs committed by colonial rulers through the restitution of such objects.