In the last two decades, politics appears to have entered the museum as seldom before.
This seems to reflect an increased awareness of key institutions' capacity to make
authoritative public statements about contested values. Museums increasingly take a
stand on divisive social issues, like cultural diversity and tolerance, art and
obscenity, science and morality, and "difficult histories." Exhibitions and programs
foregrounding such topics have an ambiguous relation to government, the tourist industry,
and visitors. While they often paint a less than pretty or proud social portrait, they are
often financially lucrative. Yet other museums remain steadfastly commited to more
idealized visions of national progress, scientific and military prowess, and the artistic canon.
The often stark distinction between these ideas about the role of the museum in public sphere
has raised critical questions: Are museums the most suitable places for political debate?
What role do - and should - governments, interest groups, and corporate sponsors play in the realm?
Are museums fighting for the "hearts and minds" of local visitors and international
tourists, or merely telling stories?
The course will draw on a range of political factors that affect museums, including government
cultural policy, diplomatic missions, funding bodies, tourism organizations, interest
groups, international museum partnerships, and, of course, politicized visitors themselves.
A range of case studies will be drawn on, that include traveling 9/11 exhibitions,
Museums of Tolerance, live indigenous performances, revisionist war exhibitions, and
art-in-society controversies.