Kaleigh Campbell

Kaleigh Campbell

The Role of Private International Law in the Repatriation of Cultural Objects: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Path Forward

The intangible value of cultural objects, as well as their economic value, renders them exceedingly susceptible to looting and theft. The most prolific example remains the systematic expropriation of Jewish-owned cultural objects during the Second World War. However, the recent systematic theft and looting of cultural objects, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine, has brought the issue further to the fore. The injustices arising from the illicit theft of cultural objects are seldom resolved without legal claims initiated by rightful owners. This doctoral research addresses a critical gap in the literature by conducting a multi-jurisdictional comparative analysis of private international law rules applied in cases involving cultural objects and whether their application facilitates or hinders repatriation. It then engages in the broader scholarly debate surrounding the nature of private international law and whether its rules should be modified to achieve certain substantive outcomes, such as the repatriation of cultural objects.

Kaleigh Campbell
PhD candidate, Law
Faculty of Law - Western University

Supervisor
Dr. Stephen Pitel

Kaleigh is a fourth-year PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Law at Western University. She holds a Master of International Public Policy (2021) and a Master of Arts in Global Governance (2020) from the Balsillie School of International Affairs, as well as an Honours Co-op Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies and Business from the University of Waterloo (2019). Her scholarship has been published in the European Journal of Legal Studies and the Balsillie School of International Affairs’ Global Trends Report series. She has presented at academic institutions in Europe and across Canada. Her research has also been recognized with grants from the Province of Ontario, the Balsillie School of International Affairs, the University of Waterloo, and Western University.

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View Kaleigh's work as it appears in the Inspiring Minds Digital Collection.