The concept of cultural heritage evolved to preserve important objects and practices, in peacetime and during conflict. It now justifies export controls and government regulation and provides the background to moral claims to valuable works of art and architecture. In this new edition of The Idea of Cultural Heritage, Derek Gillman provides an updated overview of both long-standing and more recent controversies over cultural things. In the last decade, these have been further charged not only by accelerating calls for the repatriation of materials from Western museums to countries of origin, but also by institutional acknowledgement of European colonisation and the reimagination of displays at museums and historic sites. Using cases from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, Gillman provides a critical analysis of whether cosmopolitan or nationalist concerns should take priority in adjudicating cultural disputes, mapping the heritage debate onto positions in contemporary political philosophy and reframing it within a discussion of basic values.

The international law of the sea treaties imposes various obligations on contracting states, which can be managed more efficiently and cost-effectively through blockchain technology. As a disruptive tool, blockchain allows stakeholders to track transactions in a secure, cryptographically verified public database. It ensures a secure and reliable record of activities and information exchange governed by international agreements. This paper explores how the blockchain-based systems could help protect the maritime community and support sustainable ocean governance under the law of the sea. Particular attention is given to conserving marine living resources, protecting the marine environment and preserving marine biodiversity. Blockchain is already in use for some internationally regulated activities, such as electronic data interchange, though electronic permitting still waits broader international approval. Besides the clear advantages of blockchain, its legal, regulatory and other concerns must be addressed when considering its role in implementing international treaties. The author aims to explore whether harnessing blockchain`s potential requires new international agreement or if a simpler soft law instrument could provide sufficient guidance and safeguards for the international community.

Focused on China, Chapter 4 explores ideological competition in the construction of heritage. New material has been added on holding human remains. It concludes with a major set of Buddhist figures to set up the discussion about the reintegration of sculptural groups.

Chapter 5 begins with export controls and then moves to the domestic regulation of art and architecture in common law countries, with the removal of a Tiffany mosaic as the test case. Finally, it examines a ‘compositional’ reason to reintegrate the Parthenon frieze.

The 2023 BBNJ treaty’s provisions on marine biodiversity may undermine both biological and military security, preventing states from joining the agreement. The treaty, formally titled the Agreement under UNCLOS on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, is commonly known as the BBNJ Treaty. Adopted on June 19, 2023, it protects biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The United States signed the agreement on September 20, 2023, to expand marine-protected areas. The treaty regulates marine genetic resources (MGR), which implicates biotechnology. Biotechnology involves companies developing products from marine genetic resources. MGRs have commercial and scientific uses, including cancer treatments and drugs like remdesivir to fight COVID and azidothymidine (AZT). The treaty mandates data sharing through the “Clearing House Mechanism” (ClHM). But the treaty excludes intellectual property rights, forcing U.S. marine biotech firms to share trade secrets, benefiting foreign competitors and raising economic and security concerns. The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have also disclosed high seas research programs. Amid economic competition with China, the US accelerates innovation, transparency goals clash with the prevailing imperative of security.

Chapter 1 opens with a discussion of values, which frames the volume. It then reviews four well-known works/groups of work to introduce a debate about cultural ownership, beginning with the Bamiyan Buddhas, followed by Guernica, the Parthenon sculptures, and Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington.

The final chapter opens with a hypothetical debate between cosmopolitan and particularist positions, which is then mapped onto contemporary political philosophy. It concludes with Joseph Raz’s pluralist and perfectionist liberal requirement that states should support culture.

Law enforcement initiatives at sea are increasingly dependent on tracking vessel movements. Ship operators engaged in nefarious activities, such as weapons trafficking, piracy, and economic sanctions circumvention, attempt to operate in the shadows. But regulatory authorities and compliance-attuned commercial actors are now carefully keeping watch by analyzing vessel tracking data through new technologies that combine automatic identification system (AIS) transmissions with sophisticated satellite imagery enhanced by artificial intelligence and machine learning. Many of these products are now commercially available for legal compliance purposes, which can be especially helpful in aiding shipping industry participants in evaluating risk. At the same time, such technologies may be embraced by malign actors aiming to target merchant vessels for hostile attacks. This chapter examines these promises and perils of new vessel tracking developments. First, it traces the history of vessel tracking under international legal instruments, including AIS obligations flowing from the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, as amended. It then explores the ways in which AIS transmissions have been adopted for various maritime law enforcement and compliance purposes. Finally, it highlights recent technological innovations in vessel tracking that create both enhanced transparency and new risks for commercial vessels operating at sea.