Alice Salomon Hochschule
Francisco Javier Rojas Trejo
Social Work as Human Rights Profession
Module C: Critical Approaches to Human Rights Practice in Social Work
March 01, 2023
The Humboldt Forum in Berlin: Between the Right to Culture and its role in
Coloniality today.
Introduction
The right to culture has been internationally recognized since it was published in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, after the Second World War. Article 27 of the
Declaration states that "everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the
community, to enjoy the arts..." (United Nations, 1948). Since then and with the creation of
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), each State
has created local institutions and organizations that promote their own notion of culture and
distinguish what for them constitutes the heritage with which they seek to strengthen their
cultural identity.
However, it is important to question in which sense the concept of culture used by some of
these States and cultural entities is applied, as well as the context in which the public policies
that allegedly guarantee the right to culture of their inhabitants are carried out. If these
concepts are reviewed within the theory of coloniality and decoloniality proposed by some
authors, such as Walter Mignolo, it could be affirmed that under the argument of promoting
and ensuring the right to culture, colonial and imperialist narratives are promoted, which in
the long term encourage discriminatory or racist actions.
The Humboldt Forum in Berlin can serve as an example to understand the above. Since its
creation, it has been the object of harsh criticism for the way in which it was conceived, but
above all, the strongest accusations refer to the way in which various objects belonging to
colonized cultures are exhibited in its museums. Another of the main criticisms is the lack of
true cultural representation, the promotion of an image of cultural superiority and the
commercialization of culture (The Week UK, 2021).
Analyzing and evaluating in depth the effectiveness of the cultural public policies undertaken
by the Forum and, therefore, the effectiveness of the full exercise of the right to culture of
those who visit its facilities, is complicated for this work. However, it is worthwhile to analyze
what the Right to Culture consists of, as well as the very concepts of Culture and Cultural
Identity from the international normative framework and to traverse them through the
notions of Coloniality and Decoloniality to try to identify from which perspective these
concepts are exercised in the general narrative that the Forum employs.
Coloniality and Decoloniality vs. the Right to Culture
In order to understand how the right to culture is exercised in a context of coloniality and
decoloniality, it is necessary to delve into the work of authors like Walter Mignolo. Mignolo
is an Argentinian cultural theorist and critic who has developed an important body of work
in the field of postcolonial and decolonial studies. He has written numerous books and
articles on topics such as coloniality, modernity, culture and epistemology from a critical and
decolonizing perspective.
In his text "Delinking: The Rhetoric of Modernity, the Logic of Coloniality and the Grammar
of Decoloniality", Walter Mignolo (2007) addresses the concept of coloniality, referring to
the persistence of structures of colonial power and domination in today's society, even after
the formal independence of colonized countries.
According to him, coloniality manifests itself in the imposition of European cultural, political
and economic models as universal norms, leading to the marginalization and oppression of
the knowledge and cultures of non-European societies. Coloniality, in his terms, is also based
on a hierarchy of power that places European societies in a superior position and nonEuropean societies in a subordinate position.
Whereas he describes decoloniality as a critical perspective that seeks to decolonize thought,
politics and culture. Decoloniality, according to Mignolo, seeks to question and resist colonial
power structures and to construct new forms of thought and action that recognize and value
the cultural diversity and autonomy of non-European societies. Decoloniality seeks not only
to dismantle coloniality in all its forms, but also to construct new forms of knowledge and
relations between cultures and societies.
Another view that is useful for understanding the relationship between these concepts and
the Right to Culture is that proposed by Malcolm Langford, who criticizes the effectiveness
of Human Rights from a sociological perspective. In this sense, his arguments function as the
territory where the notions of coloniality and decoloniality confront human rights. In the text
"Critiques of Human Rights", Langford (2018) questions the supposed universal character of
Human Rights, their dependence on the State and their inability to address structural
inequality. Such critiques can be perfectly applicable to the particular exercise of Cultural
Rights.
In relation to the basic concepts embodied in the international instruments that seek to
promote the Right to Culture, it is worth reviewing them to identify whether the way in which
they are used by cultural institutions such as the Humboldt Forum promote a process of
decoloniality or whether they are in themselves part of the epistemological colonialism that
contributes to the reproduction of contemporary cultural coloniality. Likewise, it would be
interesting to review if, as Langford says, the promotion of these rights constitutes rather a
form of validation of hegemonic and oppressive systems.
Article 1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights establishes
that each "people" has the right of self-determination to establish the conditions for its
cultural development (United Nations General Assembly, 1976). In general terms, this means
that it is in society that the process of creation of what we call culture takes place, and it is
society itself that has the freedom to participate in and enjoy it. It is important to highlight
this condition of culture because, if it is in society itself that the exercise of the right to culture
begins and ends: What is the responsibility of the State, through its cultural institutions, to
promote what is defined as Culture and how does this concept encourage the persistence of
coloniality in our daily lives?
On the other hand, the preamble of UNESCO's constitution (1945) defines as the
responsibility of the State the "diffusion of culture" as a "sacred duty which all nations must
fulfill in a spirit of mutual aid and responsibility". Considering the legitimacy that this
international body has today, the notion of responsibility and mutual aid that it gives to the
dissemination of culture is called into question when one considers the context in which this
"mutual aid" takes place. If one thinks that the presence of objects such as the Parthenon
frieze of Athens, which is exhibited in the British Museum, are given in the framework of that
"mutual aid" with the purpose of "spreading culture", one is in the presence of an
unquestionable argument of coloniality.
In the same sense, with regard to the concept of Culture, the first article of the Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity conceives culture as "the common heritage of mankind"
(General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
2001). In this sense, it is essential to distinguish that in a profound sense, this definition of
culture appeals to the universal dimension of the value of culture. However, in another sense
it functions as a perfect argument for the appropriation of both tangible and intangible
cultural heritage by hegemonic cultures, which reinforces the system of coloniality.
General Comment No. 21 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights calls on state governments to take positive measures to provide people with the
conditions to participate in cultural life and to facilitate access to culture. It is also worth
noting that the same observation, in subparagraph A of the second paragraph, explains more
broadly that when the Covenant speaks of "everyone" having the right to participate in
cultural life and its benefits, it includes not only the individual but also the collective as a
person (UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2009).
This distinction is interesting because on the one hand it can be interpreted as an attempt to
change the individualistic approach to human rights to a collective one, which in Langford's
view (2018) would help to understand the roots of oppression and not only the symptoms.
However, on the other hand, such positive measures could appeal to the socialization of
harmful narratives not only for the individual but also for the collective. This means that if
the message that emerges from such narratives contains elements of coloniality such as the
notion of superiority of one culture over another, the affect is likewise collective.
An essential document for understanding the concepts of Culture and Cultural Identity is the
Fribourg Declaration, which, although is not the direct product of an official international
agreement, was created from the work of specialists in the field of culture through the
University of Fribourg in conjunction with UNESCO and other cultural institutions. The
remarkable thing about this declaration is that it condenses and elaborates on concepts
already embodied in other international instruments such as those mentioned above, but
makes its scope even more complex.
The first article of this declaration emphasizes the need to defend the exercise of cultural
rights without discrimination, and also states that the exercise of this right cannot be invoked
if doing so undermines other rights (Observatory of Diversity and Cultural Rights, 2007,
Article 1). In this document is addressed in a more precise manner that the exercise of the
cultural rights of some may affect the rights of others. In one way, this argument could be
defined as a feature of decoloniality.
Among all the international legal instruments that refer to the concept of culture, this
declaration is one of the most specific in its conception of this and other basic concepts. In
its second article, it defines Culture as that which gives meaning to the existence of a person
or group of persons, through their "values, beliefs, convictions, languages, knowledge, arts,
traditions, institutions and ways of life" (2007, Article 2). This definition is important to
understand what happens to heritage that, outside its context, loses this meaningful quality
for those who create it and can therefore be used as an argument for decoloniality.
The same article defines the concept of Cultural Identity, which is worth mentioning because
of its specificity. According to this declaration, it is defined as "the set of cultural references
by which a person, individually or collectively, defines, constitutes, communicates and
understands to be recognized in its dignity". It is essential to highlight the relationship that
this definition establishes between a person's cultural references and his or her dignity. It
can be interpreted, from the critical application of this idea, that the objective of seeking
respect for individual and collective dignity is a mechanism to exercise the right to culture.
Following the definition of Cultural Identity, the Cultural Community is defined in the same
Article as a "group of people who share the constitutive references of a common cultural
identity, which they wish to preserve and develop". Reinforcing what was mentioned in the
previous paragraph, this concept can also be used as a decolonial tool if we consider the
importance of preserving those elements that constitute the cultural identity and, therefore,
it is clear why it is essential not to decontextualize them.
The Humboldt Forum at the intersection
The Humboldt Forum is a cultural project located in the heart of Berlin that seeks to promote
itself, as expressed in its own objectives, as a constantly developing place dedicated to
cultural diversity, the transmission of knowledge and critical reflection. The project is based
on the legacy of the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who was noted for his
interest in the science and culture of Latin America (Humboldt Forum, n.d.).
The museums and collections that make up the Forum are: Cultural History Museum, Asian
Art Museum, 19th Century Art Collection, Museum of Ethnology and the Museum Library. In
addition to these museums and collections, the Humboldt Forum also houses spaces for
temporary exhibitions and cultural events, such as concerts, lectures and film screenings.
The creation of the Humboldt Forum has been controversial since its conception due to its
location in the Royal Palace in Berlin, a historic building that was destroyed during World War
II and subsequently rebuilt. Critics argue that it is a way of glorifying the German colonial past
through a symbol of the power and oppression of the Prussian monarchy, which reinforces
the idea of European superiority and colonial rule (The Guardian, 2022).
The main criticism has been directed at the Museum of Ethnology for housing artifacts that
were stolen or forcibly taken from their places of origin during the colonial era. Critics argue
that these objects should be returned to their countries of origin because their exhibition
reproduces a cultural hierarchy and perpetuates the idea of European superiority by placing
non-European cultures in a subordinate and exotic position. While other voices criticize the
fact that the Forum exhibits artifacts and objects from non-European cultures without taking
into account the historical and cultural context of these objects, which could lead to a
misinterpretation of their original meaning and use (Magazine & McGreevy, 2021).
Despite the controversies, the Humboldt Forum opened its doors in September 2020 and
since then has offered exhibitions, events and educational programs for its visitors, who
exercise, strictly speaking, their cultural rights through these activities and strengthen their
cultural identity and community. However, it is at this point where it is worth asking: How do
the notions of Coloniality and De-coloniality dialogue in the exercise of this right within the
context of the Humboldt Forum?
From the colonial and decolonial perspective proposed by Mignolo, one could analyze the
general narrative of the Berlin Humboldt Forum within the context of the exercise of cultural
rights to which visitors have access. However, it is necessary to frame the previously
reviewed concepts of Cultural Rights, Culture and Cultural Identity in a historical context in
order to identify that although the Forum promotes these rights through its policies, the
reading of the general narrative may still translate into racist or discriminatory institutional
policies.
From the perspective of coloniality, it is possible to affirm that the exercise of these rights,
historically speaking, has been ignored or suppressed by colonial power structures, which
have imposed European cultural and political models as universal norms.
However, it is worth noting how the discussion of these issues has positioned itself within
public opinion in such a way that it has led the Forum to carry out actions that can be read
as a decolonial attempt. Some of the public policies that have emerged directly as a result of
this discussion include the incorporation of representatives from different cultures and
regions of the world to participate in its activities and programs, with the aim of promoting
a more global and diverse perspective (The Guardian, 2022).
Similarly, the Forum has fostered collaboration between different cultures and disciplines in
order to promote intercultural exchange and dialogue. It has also organized events and
activities that seek to critically reflect on colonial history and its current consequences, with
the aim of generating greater understanding and a more inclusive vision of culture and
knowledge. It has also supported and financed local cultural projects in different parts of the
world, with the aim of promoting cultural diversity and the sustainable development of
communities (Deutsche Welle, 2021).
Making a general review of the activities that the forum has programmed since its opening
and reviewing the communication it maintains with its users through its website, it is possible
to affirm that the Humboldt Forum has sought to promote cultural diversity and cultural
rights. In this sense, its commitment to international norms that seek the defense and
promotion of these rights is unquestionable. Similarly, it could be said that the narrative it
currently seeks to promote can be seen as an attempt to question and resist the colonial
power structures that have denied and marginalized non-European cultures.
The most relevant action undertaken by the Forum, in conjunction with German authorities
at different levels, has been the restitution of 20 pieces of Bronze from Nigeria obtained
during the colonial period. It is worth highlighting what was mentioned in the speech given
by the Minister of International Affairs Annalena Baerbock, who referred to the matter as
the restitution of something "that never belonged to us" (Deutsche Welle, 2022). This
statement is relevant because it unveils, in a way, the mechanism of coloniality that has been
mentioned so far and implies a significant action in favor of a decolonial public policy.
However, it is at this point where the question arises as to whether the public policies that
place the Humboldt Forum at the intersection where coloniality intersects with cultural rights
are sufficient to bring about a real change in the terms of the discussion and not only in the
contents (Mignolo, 2007). However, it is enough to make a superficial review of how other
gears of coloniality continue to operate to have a denial as a forceful response.
In general terms, it is possible to affirm that the discourses of those in charge of the cultural
public policies of the Humboldt Forum point towards decoloniality, but it would be necessary
to analyze the effects of these policies in greater detail to corroborate that, in fact, the
process of deconstruction of coloniality, at least in Germany, is underway. Otherwise, we
would be faced with a tool whose main strategy is the neutralization of the media discussion
by means of apparently effective political actions.
Conclusion
Actions such as those undertaken by the German government through the Humboldt Forum,
despite having a significant burden, still do not have a real impact on the construction of a
decolonial system that transforms the policies not only of Germany but also of other
countries that constitute the current coloniality. In this sense, under a critical view it is
impossible to deny that the Humboldt Forum is still part of a global system of production and
distribution of knowledge based on the hierarchy of power that places European societies in
a superior position.
In the same way, it is possible to affirm that, what could appear as the fulfillment of a duty
of the State, by facilitating the exercise of the Right to Culture to those who visit the
Humboldt Forum in Berlin, becomes the violation of the rights of others. The analysis of the
example represented by the case of the Humboldt Forum and its cultural policies, helps to
have a more critical reading of basic concepts that integrate the language of Human Rights
and in this case in particular of those that refer to the Right to Culture.
From a decolonial perspective, it would be necessary not only to recognize and value cultural
diversity, but also to question and dismantle the colonial power structures that continue to
operate in today's society, and to construct new forms of thought and action that recognize
and value the autonomy of non-European societies and their capacity to produce and
distribute knowledge on equal terms. As mentioned in the text “Why Decoloniality in the
21st Century?” by Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni (2013): "The decolonial turn is not only about
the past, but also about the present and future. It is about imagining and building a new
world beyond coloniality and its legacies."
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