Picking up the pieces: Transitional justice responses to destruction of tangible cultural heritage

The intentional destruction of tangible cultural heritage is commonplace in contemporary conflict. Heritage has immense social, symbolic, and spiritual value and its destruction reveals a broader attack on cultural identity and coexistence. Transitional justice (TJ) efforts have largely neglected cultural destruction as part of a wider marginalisation of cultural rights. This article considers why this is the case and argues that TJ has a meaningful role to play in engaging with issues of collective identity by countering harmful narratives of difference and recognising the legitimacy of cultural variance. It explores the ways TJ can incorporate cultural destruction within the remit of truth commissions, shape educational curricula and influence physical reconstruction of destroyed heritage. In so doing, it can give effect to the indivisibility and interdependence of civil and political, socio-economic, and cultural rights.

Automated summary

The intentional destruction of tangible cultural heritage is a common occurrence in contemporary conflicts, often revealing a broader attack on cultural identity and coexistence. Transitional justice (TJ) efforts have largely overlooked cultural destruction as part of a wider marginalization of cultural rights. However, this article argues that TJ can play a meaningful role in countering harmful narratives of difference and recognizing the legitimacy of cultural variance by incorporating cultural destruction into truth commissions, shaping education curricula, and influencing the physical reconstruction of destroyed heritage. By doing so, TJ can contribute to the indivisibility and interdependence of civil and political, socio-economic, and cultural rights.