Science, Race, Identity and Repatriation – Key Issues

This chapter explores key themes in the entanglement of race, history, identity, and ethics inherent in the application of scientific techniques to determine the provenance of Indigenous Ancestral Remains in repatriation claims and processes. It familiarises the reader with the aim of the broader book, which is to place recent interest in applying scientific techniques to provenance research and repatriation in their historical context, to explore discourses of identity and scientific authority that they reveal, to assess their efficacy, and to investigate ethical and practical challenges and opportunities. It provides an important historical background in the removal and return of Indigenous ancestors and explores matters of consent and the importance of meaningful Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) as a core protection from the misuse and abuse of Indigenous bodies.