Restitution and the Decolonization of Museums: A Theoretical Framework

Giulia Grechi's essay "Decolonizzare il museo" (Mimesis, Milan 2021) examines the politics of restitution in European ethnographic museums. Drawing on Stuart Hall's 1999 article "Whose Heritage? Un-settling 'The Heritage'," Grechi argues that heritage functions as a tool of governmentality, constructing a homogeneous national identity that excludes those who do not see themselves reflected. In postcolonial but not decolonized Europe, museums face the challenge of redefining belonging in intercultural societies shaped by migration from former colonies. Restitution is framed not merely as returning objects to rightful owners but as re-instituting them within their original contexts and meanings, reversing historical appropriation. This process has ethical, political, and symbolic dimensions: it acknowledges the illegitimacy of colonial possession, opens reflection on the colonial past, and enables epistemological shifts by recognizing non-European concepts of cultural heritage. Grechi cites Achille Mbembe, who sees restitution as allowing younger generations to shed ethnological visions and reposition Africa as a global center of gravity. The essay originally appeared in Artribune Magazine #65-66.