ANTH 3540 - Museums, Exhibitions, and Representation

Goals: This course presents students with an introduction to museums and exhibitions, and their social, political, and cultural roles in society. It provides students with basic theoretical approaches for examining the power and politics of collection, display and representation at work in museums. It examines specific examples of the ways that museums and exhibitions provide spaces for articulating and practicing different communities and identities, and their relationship to “others.” Finally, the course provides students with an introduction to aspects of museum collection, exhibit design, and public interpretation.

Content: The course is taught using a mixture of theoretical readings, ethnographies, field excursions to local museums, and a student field project. Topics covered include: a basic introduction to the history of collecting and display; the beginnings and institutionalization of museums; different museums and their publics; theories of representation and cultural production; and the design, collection, and curation of museum exhibits.
Taught: Alternate years.
Prerequisite: ANTH 1160.