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The Parthenon Marbles dispute and the debate over cultural repatriation
Who gets to claim art as their own? It’s a complicated issue, and elite art institutions are undergoing a reckoning over their Indiana Jones-style acquisition tactics of the past. GZERO’s Alex Kliment explores the complex debate of art repatriation and the controversy surrounding ancient artifacts displayed in Western museums. One of the most infamous cases involves the Parthenon Marbles (sometimes called the Elgin Marbles) at the British Museum, which the British took during Ottoman rule. The Greeks have been demanding the Marbles be returned for almost 200 years.
“I think this is really a moral or ethical case,” says Leila Amineddoleh, an art repatriation expert, “Should museums hold onto objects that were taken under either violent circumstances or were taken during a time of looting, theft or when a country was colonized?”
This question of who owns art has become more intensely political in recent years. On one side are the defenders of the “Universal Museum” idea, who say it’s important to have places where everyone can come see art from all over the world in one place. However, critics argue it’s a form of cultural imperialism that denies rightful ownership to the people who created the artifacts in the first place. Ultimately, the debate raises broader questions about museums' responsibility to address historical injustices, balance cultural preservation with global accessibility, and navigate the complex dynamics of ownership and cultural heritage.
Watch the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer episode: The identity politics trap
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken plays guitar at the State Department, September 27, 2023.
What we’re listening to: US tries out Hoochie Coochie diplomacy
To be honest, if you told us that the US secretary of state, a 61-year-old white guy, was gonna grab a Stratocaster and belt out some Delta Blues in public, we’d have braced for a much more awkward outcome than this.
But Antony Blinken’s rendition of the Muddy Waters classic “Hoochie Coochie Man” was actually … pretty good! Like, not “Bill Clinton in sunglasses blowing sax on late night TV” good, but probably better than Vladimir Putin nervously crooning “Blyubyerreh Khill” to a room of captive celebrities.
America’s top diplomat sang the blues earlier this week at the launch of a new US initiative that enlists music and musicians to “convey American leadership globally and create connections with people worldwide.”
I couldn’t pass up tonight’s opportunity to combine music and diplomacy. Was a pleasure to launch @StateDept’s new Global Music Diplomacy Initiative. pic.twitter.com/6MUfTXO9xK
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 28, 2023
The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative envisions worldwide exchanges of US and non-US musicians and musical scholars. Music as a way to learn English is one big (and smart) focus. An early round of tour programs includes a Herbie Hancock visit to the Middle East, a Philadelphia Orchestra residency in China, and bringing hip-hop artists into conflict resolution efforts in Nigeria.
The whole thing is reminiscent in some ways of Cold War programs that sent US musicians — sometimes handled by the CIA — to the far corners of the world to spread the gospel of American free market capitalism and artistic liberty.
The world has changed a lot since then — no doubt the US still boasts some of the best and most innovative musicians in the world (we just celebrated the 50th birthday of hip-hop, arguably the most transformative musical genre in history, which was born in the Bronx).
But does the US — divided at home and less trusted abroad — still have the political credibility to really make the world, as Muddy Waters sang, “wanna know what this all about”? We’ll turn up the volume and see where this goes.
Racial makeup of undergraduate students in the U.S. (2010-2021)
The Graphic Truth: Hispanic college enrollment has surged
September 15 marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, and as the United States enters a new era in college admissions following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down race-based affirmative action protections this summer, many worry that the new rules could hurt the chances of aspiring students from traditionally marginalized communities.
New data from the Department of Education indicates the number of Hispanic students grew nearly 30% between 2010 and 2021, and made up over a fifth of the enrolled student body in 2021. Hispanic people as a whole were one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the U.S. at the time, accounting for more than half of the total population increase between 2010 and 2020. Here’s a look at racial makeup of undergraduate students in the U.S. over the last several years.
Once upon a time: Pakistan's fabled storytellers fade away
SHOGRAN, Pakistan (AFP) - Mohammad Naseem's eyes shine while he shares the legend of a remote, alpine lake nestled among snow-capped Himalayan peaks as a rare crowd of onlookers hears one of Pakistan's last "storytellers".
Coronavirus pandemic respite for Thai 'sea gypsies' threatened by mass tourism
The threat of eviction also hangs over the 1,200 Chao Lay living in Rawai.
Amid calls for boycott and bad reviews, Mulan heads towards opening weekend in China
BEIJING - Even before hitting the big screens in mainland China, Disney's lavish US$200 million (S$273.8 million) live action remake of Mulan has been hit with controversy, delays and calls for a boycott.
Qipao all the rage among Chinese mothers whose children are taking national exam
KUNMING (XINHUA) - If you passed by Chinese schools last Friday (June 7) or this past weekend, you would probably have seen some middle-aged women waiting outside with anxious looks dressed in traditional qipao dresses.
Penang proposes joint S'pore-Malaysia Unesco hawker culture bid
GEORGE TOWN • Penang's state government has proposed Singapore and Malaysia file a joint-nomination to list hawker culture under Unesco, but the idea did not go down well with critics on both sides of the Causeway.