Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic challenged all societies with a crisis in care. As it disrupted the normalcy of life, it exacerbated existing inequities and social issues, too. Black, Indigenous and racialised communities were impacted by the social and economic challenges caused by the pandemic more than others and in different ways. Many organizations responded to these challenges by adopting different working conditions, shifting priorities, developing strategies and alternative communication methods to serve their communities. The experience of community museums and cultural centres is particularly noteworthy as culture and community are at the core of their work and identity. In the Winter and Spring of 2022, I had conversations with several community museums and cultural centres in British Columbia to understand how their approaches to community and practices of community engagement have been impacted by the pandemic. Many pointed to a new (self)awareness during this crisis in care and justice. In this presentation, I reflect on my conversations with museums based on ethics of care, a concept much discussed in the context of healthcare, and presents much for thought for museum researchers and practitioners, with its emphasis on community, empathy and building and maintaining relationships. I discuss how this approach, that defines self as connected to others and justice as an extension of caring, might offer a frame in which to theorize and practise community engagement.
Presenters
Deniz UnsalAssistant Professor, School of Communication and Culture, Royal Roads University, British Columbia, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2023 Special Focus—Museum Transformations: Pathways to Community Engagement
KEYWORDS
Ethics of care, Social justice, Community museums, Post-pandemic museum theory
