On Ephemeral Memory Politics, Conservationist International Law and (In-)alienable Value of Art in Lucas Lixinski’s Legalized Identities: Cultural Heritage Law and the Shaping of Transitional Justice

Lucas Lixinski's monograph, Legalized Identities: Cultural Heritage Law and the Shaping of Transitional Justice, reveals that cultural heritage law plays a pivotal role in shaping memory and identity politics during transitional justice processes. It demonstrates how international cultural heritage listing mechanisms, such as those applied to Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland), Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (Japan), and Robben Island (South Africa), can promote pragmatic engagement with the law, fostering dialogue and reconciliation more effectively than traditional legal accountability measures. Lixinski argues that closing the gap between transitional justice discourses—often dominated by anti-impunity measures—and cultural heritage law offers opportunities for more nuanced and effective societal transitions. The study employs a systematic review of literature, case studies, and critical analysis to explore how memory politics intersects with international law, highlighting both its potential for reconciliation and risks of political instrumentalization.

Belavusau, U. (2022). On Ephemeral Memory Politics, Conservationist International Law and (In-)alienable Value of Art in Lucas Lixinski’s Legalized Identities: Cultural Heritage Law and the Shaping of Transitional Justice. Jerusalem Review of Legal Studies, 25(1), 200–211. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrls/jlac014