معرفی
Lies Busselen is a researcher at KU Leuven's Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology within the Faculty of Social Sciences. She combines academic research with practical heritage work, collaborating between universities, museums, and source communities.
Education:
- MA in Cultural History and Social and Cultural Anthropology, KU Leuven
- Museology Program, 2019
Her research focuses on decolonizing museum practices through provenance analysis of colonial collections, particularly ancestral remains and ethnographic objects. She investigates the intersections between colonial histories, scientific racism, and contemporary restitution debates in Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The 15 most recent works span colonial collection management, restitution ethics, museum policy reform, and community memory work. Key themes include Belgium-Congo heritage relations, postcolonial museology, and the role of museums in addressing historical injustices.
Scientific Awards:
- FWO Senior Research Project on Decolonial Challenges Regarding Ancestral Remains Restitution
She collaborates with scholars like Filip De Boeck and Maarten Couttenier, conducts fieldwork in Kinshasa, and contributes to exhibitions like ReThinking Collections at AfricaMuseum. Her publications bridge academic research with public outreach through media collaborations.
