Sherine Al Shallah and Lucas Lixinski on Cultural Objects
The Parthenon Marbles. The Benin Bronzes. Grandma's jewellery that she smuggled in her clothes, never to return. What if taking an object is the best way to keep a community's culture alive?
Legal experts Sherine Al Shallah and Lucas Lixinski engage with old and new arguments about cultural objects. Bringing together perspectives from decolonisation and refugee practices, Sherine and Lucas dare us to think beyond our preconceived notions, showing that ‘whether’ to return can be an even more complicated question than we thought.
If we think about cultural objects not as objects, but as conduits for human connection and identity, they argue, then we may have a chance of solving these complex ethical problems.
This event is presented by the Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Sydney.
UNSW SYDNEY X SYDNEY WRITERS' FESTIVAL
UNSW Sydney is the exclusive university sponsor and proud Premier Partner of the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Featuring UNSW academics and researchers on Sydney Writers’ Festival stages, this partnership brings together a shared vision of creativity, curiosity and thought leadership.
TICKETS & VENUE INFORMATION
Ticket Prices
Free (no booking required)
Venue Information
This event will take place live at Carriageworks. For all venue and visitor safety information, please visit Sydney Writers' Festival.
ACCESS
Wheelchair Access
All Festival venues are accessible, and provide wheelchair and level access. To book accessible seats at Carriageworks, please contact the Sydney Writers' Festival Box Office on 02 9256 4200 or email ticketing@swf.org.au.
Accessible Parking
Accessible parking is available at Carriageworks. Please call 02 8571 9099 for more information.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT & PARKING
Carriageworks is located at 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. This is a 10 minute walk from Redfern Station, City Road bus stops and Macdonaldtown Station. Catching public transport is strongly recommended as residential parking in the area is strictly limited, and the Sydney Writers' Festival offers shuttle bus services from Redfern Station at selected times. For more information on transport, visit swf.org.au or visit transportnsw.info.
CONTACT
Sydney Writers' Festival
For all event enquiries, contact the Sydney Writers' Festival on 02 9256 4200 or email ticketing@swf.org.au.
UNSW Centre for Ideas
For all other enquiries, contact the UNSW Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485 or email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au.
National Relay Service
The UNSW Centre for Ideas and Sydney Writers' Festival are happy to receive phone calls via the National Relay Service. TTY users, phone 133 677, then ask for the applicable organisations phone number (listed above). Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for applicable organisations phone number (listed above). Internet relay users, visit relayservice.gov.au, then ask for applicable organisations phone number (listed above).
Lucas Lixinski
Professor Lucas Lixinski is Associate Dean (International) at the Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney. He also consults for UNESCO and other international governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as governments on matters of cultural heritage law and policy. He is the Director of Studies globally for the International Law Association, the oldest and most influential learned society in the field. He sits on the Human Rights Advisory Committee to the Queensland Parliament. A Research Agenda for Cultural Heritage Law is his fourth solo-authored book.
Sherine Al Shallah
Sherine Al Shallah is an economist, solicitor and teaching fellow, currently pursuing a doctoral research project at UNSW Sydney in affiliation with the Kaldor Centre examining the international legal frameworks for the protection of refugee cultural heritage. She has been a visiting researcher and guest lecturer at the University of Milan-Bicocca, Jagiellonian University and Politecnico di Torino, and has appeared in international media (France 24, Deutsche Welle) as an expert on cultural heritage issues. Sherine has published in the International Journal of Cultural Property, International Journal of Heritage Studies, The Conversation, Demos Journal, Kohl Journal for Body and Gender Research and The Guardian.