Abstract
In this study I explore how museums in the United States with a history of representing ‘otherness’ can function as ‘contact zones’ and foster inter-racial understanding in times of the Black Lives Matter movement. I begin by briefly discussing the benefits, risks and challenges of inter-racial contacts as discussed in Education, Psychology, Anthropology, and Museology literature. I suggest that the insights of such literature can prove helpful in times of the Black Lives Matter movement, considering the ongoing struggle of museums to combat racism and dismantle white supremacy. To this effect, I critically analyze the permanent exhibition of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. ‘Many Voices, One Nation’, which has adopted an inter-racial contact perspective. In doing so, I raise questions such as the following: What can we learn from how this museum responded to the challenge? Also, what issues does its response raise for museums, if they are to exhibit the past with more diversity, inclusivity, and equitability in times of the Black Lives Matter movement?
Presenters
Angeliki TsiotinouPhD Candidate/Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thrssaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Museums, Otherness, Inclusion, Contact Zones, Inter-racial Understanding
