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Dual Master
Vergelijk
Heritage and Memory Studies (Heritage Studies)

Looted Objects and Restitution

Are you fascinated by the hidden histories of looted objects and eager to explore how society addresses the rightful ownership of cultural treasures? The specialisation Looted Objects and Restitution allows you to dive deep into the journey of works of art and cultural goods, tracing their past and understanding the social, political, ethical, and moral implications tied to their ownership.

This specialisation explores three key areas of restitution:

  • The illicit trade in stolen antiquities
  • The cultural impact of World War II to this day and the return of looted works of art, ritual objects and books
  • The lasting effects of colonialism and the restitution of misappropriated objects and ancestral remains

Through engaging courses and an internship, you’ll gain the skills to analyse the complex stories behind looted objects, considering their history, the ethical dilemmas, and the legal and moral debates surrounding them. You’ll also examine the role of institutions in researching their collections and managing the return of looted and stolen cultural property.

This blend of academic insight and practical experience will prepare you for careers in the field of cultural heritage, provenance research, and law, including government agencies, museums, restitution committees, the art market (auction houses and art dealers) and the police, where you can advocate for justice and fairness in how objects are handled and returned.

Discover Restitution Studies

In this video, a lecturer and a student in the field of Restitution Studies share their experiences of the programme at the University of Amsterdam.

Study programme

Through engaging courses and an internship, you’ll gain the skills to analyse the complex stories behind looted objects, considering their history, the ethical dilemmas, and the legal and moral debates surrounding them. You’ll also examine the role of institutions in researching their collections and managing the return of looted and stolen cultural property.

COURSES SEM 1 SEM 2 SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 EC
  • Heritage & Memory Theory
    6

    This course introduces key figures in heritage and memory studies, exploring the rise of the "heritage industry." It examines how (contested) art, objects, and places have become integral to cultural heritage, focusing on both modern theory and its historical origins.

  • Looted Objects and Restitution: Second World War and Colonialism
    6

    This course examines looted art from Nazism to colonialism, asking how Nazi-era legal claims reshaped debates on imperial plunder. Students explore legal, moral, and museum perspectives, engaging with urgent questions of restitution, justice, and contested cultural heritage today.

  • Who owns the Past?
    6

    This course explores the politics of heritage and memory through the lens of (Dis)possession. Engaging themes such as race, restitution, repair, and climate, students examine how heritage embodies both possession and dispossession, shaping contemporary debates, nationalism, and colonial legacies.

  • Method and Practice of Provenance and Restitution Research
    6

    This course introduces provenance research in contexts from Nazi-looted art to colonial collections. Students examine methods, sources, and debates on restitution, conduct their own project, and join excursions to relevant collections and institutions to connect theory with practice.

  • Excursion Seminar Restitution Studies
    6

    This seminar concludes the semester with a multi-day excursion, likely to Germany, visiting museums, archives, and universities engaged in provenance research and restitution. Students present their projects on-site, meet experts and peers, and prepare their master’s thesis proposal.

  • Archieven en restitutie: van instrument tot object (recommended)
    6

    In this course you will examine archives both as sources for provenance research of objects and as objects of research themselves, such as archives with colonial origins. You will explore how documents end up in archives. This course is recommended, but you are free to choose another elective.

  • Provenance, Provenience and Restitution: Tracing the Path of Archaeological and Other Cult. Objects. (recommended)
    6

    In this course students trace restitution debates, examining ownership, provenance, and protection of cultural objects through legal, ethical, and multidisciplinary perspectives. They’ll gain insights from archaeologists, heritage lawyers, and invited guest experts. Recommended, but you are free to choose another elective.

  • Thesis
    18

    You will refine your thesis plan based on feedback from staff and peers to improve research questions, methodology, structure, and feasibility. The Master’s thesis allows you to conduct original research under supervision, with the topic chosen in consultation with your lecturer and supervisor.

COURSES SEM 1 SEM 2 SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 EC
  • Internship including seminar
    30

    A five-month internship lets you further develop your professional skills and network, while offering scope for practical experience, specialist knowledge and theoretical reflection.

Compulsory course
Elective
UvA Course Catalogue: Specialisation Restitution Studies
  • What are the career prospects?

    This blend of academic insight and practical experience will prepare you for careers in the field of cultural heritage, provenance research, and law, including government agencies, museums, restitution committees, the art market (auction houses and art dealers) and the police, where you can advocate for justice and fairness in how objects are handled and returned.

  • Where can I do an internship?

    The Expert Centre Restitution of the NIOD (Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies) is a partner in this programme, alongside a number of museums and other organisations that offer internships related to this specialisation.

Dutch Language Skills
The programme is offered in English, so a lack of Dutch should not discourage you from applying. However, if you are considering an internship in the Netherlands, a passive understanding of the Dutch language is strongly recommended. The University of Amsterdam provides Dutch language courses to help you reach the appropriate level.