Thesis Evolution

My thesis project has been moving right along, and I am happy with where it is heading. My initial thought process was not very specific, all I knew was that the carousel panel was something that interested me and I thought it would make a good thesis topic. I have honed the research question and have settled on "What are the best practices for displaying or exhibiting racist or offensive objects and memorabilia in museums?" I decided to make the question specifically about racist objects (depictions of African Americans and slave objects in particular) so that my research can be very focused. But, I believe that while this research will be specific, the themes discussed and best practiced devised from it will be able to be applied to sensitive or offensive objects of all facets (e.g. gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc.).

The research I have done thus far has been very enlightening, and the case studies I have looked at have been quite informative. While approaches may differ, there seems to be an over arching agreement that honesty is the most important aspect when interpreting these objects. Being upfront about what they are, what they represent, and their place in our country's history seems to be the way to go. I look forward to continuing my research and watching my project come along. I am excited to get started on my case study at the RMSC and see how a local institution attempts to grapple with this issue that has arisen in our own backyard.