In recent years, there have been heated debates both in the public opinion and in academic contexts over the phenomenon of “cultural appropriation” – i.e. when ‘members of one culture … take for their own, or for their own use, items produced by a member or members of another culture’ (Young, 2008). This phenomenon has been discussed with respect to many social practices ranging from hairstyling and Halloween costumes to fashion, language, and, of course, the arts. And it involves substantial philosophical issues concerning identity conditions of cultural groups, collective rights, cultural heritage, intellectual property, the intersection of moral and artistic value or the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
Given the social prominence and the intellectual interest of this phenomenon, The British Journal of Aesthetics intends to devote a special issue to the topic of ‘cultural appropriation and the arts’. Papers on all aspects of the debate, preferably connecting ethics and aesthetics, will be considered. Papers should conform to the usual BJA requirements and be submitted for consideration by July 20th 2020.
Any queries should be addressed to the editors, Paloma Atencia Linares (atenciap@gmail.com) or Derek Matravers (derek.matravers@open.ac.uk).