This Faculty of Humanities and and Social Sciences Student Bursary Project is open to year 3 and year 4 LLB students and Postgraduate Taught Law students at Queen Mary University of London.
This research will explore the use of alternative resolution processes for transnational cultural property disputes, with a focus on Chinese cultural heritage repatriation/restitution.
Professor Debbie De Girolamo, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, School of Law (d.degirolamo@qmul.ac.uk).
Restitution is a current topic in the art law field; litigation is often not an appropriate process for resolution of cultural heritage disputes and alternative processes have become more relevant. This project will explore the use of ADR with respect to transnational ownership issues relating to cultural heritage, with particular focus on China and its efforts in seeking restitution and also in responding to restitution claims.
You will be expected to conduct a literature search (that is, history of Chinese repatriation/restitution claims and outcomes; Chinese responses to such claims; Chinese use of alternative processes to litigation in dealing with cross border disputes dealing with cultural property), draft a bibliography, summarise findings, charting claims, outcomes and processes used; and such other activity that becomes necessary arising out of the research.
You should have excellent communication skills, be technologically proficient, and have conducted independent research so as to have excellent research and writing skills, is able to work independently, able to work to deadlines, and is able to work on a team. If the student has a familiarity with concepts of dispute resolution processes and/or cultural property restitution claims, this would be an asset.
To apply, please send a completed Research Bursary Project application form [DOC 71KB] to Ryan Shand at ccls-research@qmul.ac.uk by 11pm, 8 December 2024, using the subject line ‘HSS Bursary – Your Full Name' and indicate in the body of the email the project title you wish to apply for.
Each School will make its own arrangements for selecting student applicants; these may include interviews if considered appropriate.
We anticipate that funding will be disbursed in two instalments, both subject to confirmation by the academic project lead that the student has been working appropriately. (Project leads may wish to take this into account in scheduling their monitoring meetings.)
This bursary is fixed at £1000 for a time commitment of no more than 76 hours which is completed flexibly over 15 weeks. The first instalment (40% of the award) will be paid at the end of February 2025; the second (60% of the award) will be paid upon overall completion.