International Cultural Property Society

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International Cultural Property Society was established by Professor John Henry Merryman in 1990 to sponsor reasoned discussion of all aspects of cultural property and heritage. The original focus of discussion was understanding, preserving and providing accesses to material cultural heritage. Recently intangible cultural heritage and its relation to the identities of peoples and nations, together with the effect of globalization, have been of growing interest. Discussions of these matters reflect the strong and often opposing positions taken by the many different interested parties. The role of the Society is to provide a neutral forum for the discussion of all aspects of and interests in cultural property. [more...]

International Journal of Cultural Property, published by Cambridge University Press, is the recognized forum for the discussion of cultural heritage, broadly defined to include all forms of cultural expression, as considered by a wide range of disciplines, law, anthropology, public policy, archaeology, ethics, economics, art history, and museum and heritage studies. The Journal seeks to fairly present all issues and interests, indigenous, regional and international, Western and non-Western, academic and amateur, in order to promote consideration of the complex of competing concerns and values that are the source of cultural property disputes. [more...]

The Society also sponsors Conferences and promotes informal discussion of topics and events of interest through its online forum. Topics discussed at a recent conference included: “intangible” heritage, stewardship, and the draft UNESCO convention.