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Artwork, Cultural Heritage Property, and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2007

Charlene A. Caprio
Affiliation:
Columbia Law School. Email: cac2145@columbia.edu

Extract

Recent developments in U.S. case law have strengthened the power of private individuals to sue foreign sovereigns in U.S. courts over claims for artwork and cultural heritage property. Traditionally, however, the U.S. government granted a large amount of deference to foreign sovereigns regarding ownership rights in such property. Principles such as grace and comity with other nations, respect for cultural heritage property ownership, and increasing public access to art are reflected in U.S. legislation. For example, the adoption of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA), the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) all demonstrate a strong position held by the United States to recognize and protect ownership rights in cultural heritage property.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2006 International Cultural Property Society

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