Chapter 9: Cultural Property and Foreign Policy
This chapter was originally published as an article, “Security of Cultural Property: U.S. Engagement and Potential for Improvement” in E-Conservation Magazine (Issue 23, 71–77, 2012), by Erik Nemeth.
The tightening interrelation of cultural patrimony and regional security characterizes the relevance of cultural security to foreign policy. Targeting of religious monuments in political violence and political backlash against collateral damage of historic sites illustrate the hard and soft power that derives from cultural patrimony. Monetarily, trafficking in antiquities and tribal art demonstrates the value of cultural patrimony to transnational organized crime and insurgencies that may derive funding from looting. The risks of political violence and looting also present opportunities for engagement. Policy on the protection of religious monuments in conflict and interdiction of post-conflict looting of archaeological sites can garner goodwill in regions of political interest, and the development of intelligence on the market for antiquities can provide insights for leveraging cultural patrimony in strategies for counterinsurgency and, optimally, for mitigating the risk of conflict.
