This talk is part of the Berlin Anthropology Seminars, which are co-organized by Claudia Liebelt (Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology), Kai Kresse (Leibniz Zentrum Moderner Orient)and Paola Ivanov (Ethnologisches Museum Berlin). It intends to shape and cultivate an inclusive platform and open regular meeting point for exchange and discussion on current research by Berlin-based anthropologists. Please spread the word among colleagues, junior or senior, who may be interested. 
For further questions contact Carolin Gantz Vargas, c.gantz.vargas@fu-berlin.de

The events will take place in a hybrid format.

WebEx-meeting link: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin/j.php?MTID=m17f1ed284085e3ad247db1626ac2ca67

This talk explores the ethical, epistemological, and spatial challenges posed by the presence of Ancestral Remains in Berlin’s museum collections. Conceptualizing these remains as “traces” in the Derridean sense, it highlights their dual function as evidence of colonial violence and lost histories. Using counter-cartography, examining the networks of extraction, circulation, and institutional entanglements, showcases how colonial infrastructures shaped their presence in Berlin’s institutions. Relying on Rothberg’s notion of the Implicated Subject, the talk argues for institutional accountability that bridges individual and structural responsibility. While recognizing the impossibility of full restitution, the suggests proposes “accountable hope” as a framework for ethical engage, supporting decolonial practices, repatriation, and collaborative efforts with descendant communities.