BRIQ Belt and Road Initiative Quarterly is compiling a cover file on “Strategies and Collaboration to Combat the Plundering of Cultural Heritage in Developing Nations.”
The appropriation of cultural heritage, the physical embodiment of civilizations developed over millennia, from their rightful locations to foreign territories, constitutes one of the most egregious actions of imperialist colonization. The cultural heritage of the subjugated globe, devastated by colonialism, was exploited during imperialism by the imperialist nations that monopolized knowledge and authority. A Western-centric interpretation of history was established by severing the oppressed world from its cultural legacy and distorting historical narratives, so perpetuating the myth of “Western civilization’s superiority.” These actions have persisted continuously throughout the past two centuries, including the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the international campaign in Syria initiated in 2011.
Currently, museums in Western capitals house hundreds of thousands of artifacts illicitly obtained from various regions worldwide. Moreover, tens of thousands of cultural heritage pieces pilfered from developing countries are being auctioned at excessive rates or are possessed by private collectors. The looting and illicit commerce of cultural property are increasing, particularly in nations afflicted by conflict, political instability, and economic distress. In these regions, where authority is presently lacking, the trafficking of antiquities has emerged as a significant revenue stream that enhances the operational capabilities of terrorist organizations to execute operations.
The restitution of artifacts appropriated through imperialist actions to their rightful nations and the safeguarding of current collections have emerged as paramount priorities for developing countries today. The plundering of cultural heritage by terrorist organizations, illicit trade routes, and the facilitators of such commerce poses a significant threat to humanity’s collective memory. The safeguarding of cultural heritage is a collective obligation that transcends regions, governments, and nations, encompassing the entire globe. In this context, it is essential to enhance international collaboration and initiatives.
BRIQ invites contributions from scholars, researchers, and policy experts in the fields of conservation and restoration, law, history, archaeology, art history, museology, sociology, information and document management, educational sciences, and international relations for the dossier on “Strategies and Collaboration to Combat the Plundering of Cultural Heritage in Developing Nations.” BRIQ invites article submissions in the following areas (but not limited to) within the aforementioned general framework:
- Collaboration and its outcomes among developing nations for the preservation of cultural heritage
- The policies and practices of international platforms, specifically BRICS and the Belt and Road Initiative, regarding the preservation and plundering of cultural heritage
- Illicit trafficking of cultural property and its association with terrorism
- Routes and statistics of cultural property looting
- Countering the plundering of cultural heritage through security protocols
- Forgery in Cultural Assets and Techniques for Its Identification.
- Creation of documentation and documentation techniques for the prevention of counterfeiting and illicit trade in cultural heritage.
Submissions of articles are permitted in both Turkish and English.
Submission Guidelines
BRIQ (Belt & Road Initiative Quarterly, https://briqjournal.com/en, ISSN: 2687-5896, E-ISSN: 2718-0581) is a scholarly journal of international politics, economy, and culture. BRIQ features a broad range of content, from academic articles to perspective pieces, book reviews, review essays, interviews, news reports, and feature articles. The Editorial Board can issue calls for papers for special issues and invite authors to contribute manuscripts; however, it also welcomes unsolicited submissions.
BRIQ uses a double-blind review process for all academic articles. Academic articles should be between 5,000 and 9,000 words in length, including abstracts, notes, references, and all other content. Book reviews should not exceed 1,000 words; review essays covering two or more works can be up to 3,000 words. News reports consisting of brief analyses of news developments should not exceed 1,500 words; feature articles combining reporting and analysis can be up to 3,500 words. Please contact the Editorial Board for interview proposals.
All submissions must include two files (in Microsoft Word format). The first file must contain a brief biography (no more than 150 words) along with the authors’ contact and institutional information and ORCID, an abstract limited to 250 words, and 5 keywords. The second file must consist entirely of the anonymized manuscript.
Please send your submission as Microsoft Word attachments to briq@briqjournal.com. The sources of the images, graphics, etc., added by the author to the Word file should be indicated, and it should be ensured that there is no copyright. Photographs and graphics should be sent in a separate file. The resolution of the photographs should be at least 720p, and the graphics should be sent in the format in which they were prepared.
Articles or other content that have been previously published or are under review by other journals will not be considered for publication.
BRIQ follows American Psychological Association style (7th edition, https://www.apastyle.org) and uses American English spelling.