This uneven distribution of attention is unjustified and perplexing. Natural history has been entwined with colonial agendas, and more and more restitution claims target natural history museums. Moreover, the market for natural history objects continues to expand, with prices for especially fossils and meteorites growing into the millions. The resulting demand for provenance research into these types of objects calls for the development of more specialist expertise. This is even more pertinent since both licit and illicit channels fuel this emerging market.
We encourage submissions from scholars in all career stages and world regions, and from multiple disciplines with a connection to cultural heritage and from the natural sciences, and welcome proposals on the following topics:
- Collecting natural history in contexts of injustice (e.g., colonial rule, military occupation)
- Theft, fraud, trafficking, and other crimes related to natural heritage objects
- Studies into demand, ownership, transfer, and the market for natural history specimens
- Restitution of natural history specimens and collections
- The relationship between conceptions of natural and cultural heritage in the context of moveable objects
- Definition(s) of cultural property
- Provenance research in natural history collections
- Unlawful excavations in archaeology and palaeontology
- Interactions between cultural heritage law and biodiversity law
- Ownership disputes over palaeontological and geological specimens
- Cultural, spiritual, or economic value of natural history specimens and collections
Deadline 31 October 2026
