ANTH 390: Museum Anthropology and Cultural Representation

Course Description

How do museums, monuments, interpretive sites, and more, represent people, culture, and history? This course primarily takes a perspective from Cultural Anthropology to explore the history of museum collection, exhibition, and practice, recent developments, issues, and ethics. Students will develop critical thinking skills by investigating how museum practices reproduce or challenge power and social hierarchy through portrayals of people, culture, and identity. The course will delve into innovative methods employed to decolonize representation, increase accountability to communities, equalize power relationships, and cultivate more collaborative and inclusive practices.