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On October 10, 2024, the new season of Anchise Talks kicked off with a compelling webinar that delved into the significant role academic research plays in the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural goods. This episode brought together prominent voices from the academic world, Aura Fossati from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Vincent Michel from Université de Poitiers, offering their perspectives and sparking thoughtful discussions.
With 60 participants joining online, the session attracted a diverse audience that included cultural heritage professionals, researchers, and policy advocates. They engaged in an hour-long dialogue, touching on research findings, community involvement, and the evolving landscape of cultural preservation.
Highlights from speakers' interventions
Vincent Michel began by examining how academic research provides essential tools for identifying and tracking looted artifacts. He highlighted the need for interdisciplinary approaches, bringing in insights from archaeology, history, and law to create robust frameworks that can be used by enforcement agencies. Vincent emphasized that research must not only document these artifacts but also play an active role in creating public awareness and empowering communities to take a stand against trafficking.
Aura Fossati’s intervention focused on the social implications of illicit trafficking. She spoke about how trafficking impacts the local and indigenous communities and underscored the importance of ethical considerations in research. Aura proposed that universities, particularly those involved in cultural heritage, have a responsibility to train the next generation of professionals on both the technical and ethical fronts. She also addressed the complex relationship between local communities and traffickers, where economic hardship sometimes leads to complicity.
Reflections on Community Involvement
One of the most compelling questions was about the involvement of the local community and how to interact with the way of dealing with heritage of those local communities.
Both Vincent and Aura tackled this question with nuance: Vincent noted that involving communities starts with education and awareness campaigns that emphasize cultural pride and heritage value. He shared examples where local stewardship programs have been effective, particularly when locals are given the means to be directly involved in monitoring and protecting sites. Aura added that it is essential to understand the socio-economic challenges faced by these communities. She suggested that creating alternative livelihood programs could provide incentives for locals to resist participating in illicit activities.