The treatment of colonial heritage has witnessed significant change in the past years, with a turn to ethical guidelines or restitution frameworks in Europe, changing policies on repatriation of human remains, or fresh approaches towards provenance research. One of the shortcomings in this new era of engagement is that existing frames remain largely centered on national/domestic perspectives, while paying limited attention to the transnational implications of policies, the multiple ontologies of objects or new forms of epistemic harm inflicted through return processes. In this paper, I will inquire to what extent these shortcomings may be mitigated through a relational justice approach towards colonial heritage, a de-centering of legal frames and borrowing from principles of transitional justice. I will argue that cultural justice requires more comprehensive socio-economic measures to address the epistemic and economic consequences of cultural colonial takings, such as re-consideration of artistic or legal frames, re-animation of traditions, knowledge and know-how, building of infrastructure and connections to contemporary works of art, or a re-thinking of modes of commercial exploitation or access to objects.
