On May 16, Birgit Meyer, Marleen de Witte, and Anne Harmsen will participate in panel discussions as members of Religious Matters during Anthropology Day at the Museum of World Cultures in Leiden.

This year’s event focuses on the critical role anthropology plays in addressing colonial legacies in museum and archival collections. Over recent decades, Western museums have faced growing scrutiny regarding the origins and ethics of their holdings. Calls for restitution, transparency, and structural change—particularly within ethnographic collections—have intensified amid broader post- and decolonial critiques.

Yet the conversation extends beyond ethnographic objects alone. Collections that include human remains, photographs, audiovisual materials, field notes, botanical specimens, and indigenous knowledge are increasingly under review. Anthropology, itself historically entangled in colonial collecting practices, now finds itself both challenged and called upon to contribute to change.

Anthropologists are exploring new, decolonial approaches to research and collaboration. They work with professionals across disciplines—such as art history, museum studies, archaeology, law, and history—and engage with artists, activists, and stakeholders, including voices from the Global South.

Anthropology Day 2025 offers space to reflect on this evolving field. How have anthropologists shaped debates around restitution and the transformation of heritage institutions? What new directions are being forged in ethnographic research? And how might anthropological engagement help reimagine the very foundations of collecting, preserving, and interpreting cultural heritage?

Join the conversation in Leiden on May 16. Be part of an important moment of reflection, dialogue, and forward thinking on anthropology’s role in a decolonial future.

Registration: https://www.ticketkantoor.nl/shop/CTnsfzIFMw