Revised topic paragraphs, research questions, and citations

My research will be a project based senior thesis helping the exhibition “Hostile Terrain”. This exhibition is an international pop-up exhibit concerning the humanitarian crisis at the US-Mexico border. A series of toe-tags will be pinned to the locations of deaths of migrants along the border on a large map. RIT will be exhibiting a piece of this map which will come together at the National Mall in the fall of 2020. To assist my understanding of the topic I will be doing a literature review and case studies of previous exhibits and museums who have presented controversial topics similar to this one. I will also be reading the book, “The Land of Open Graves” by Jason De Leon, who is the head of this exhibition. I want this exhibition and my senior research to contribute to existing research and arguments on museum involvement in political and controversial matters. This challenges the thought that museums and exhibitions are supposed to be neutral parties that only present facts to the public. I would also like it to raise awareness and spur action to help migrants crossing the US-Mexico border. I want to know how modern museums and exhibitions interpret, present, and engage the public with controversial matters, such as the humanitarian crisis on the US-Mexico border.


Citations:

León Jason De. The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail. Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 2015.

HANCHETT, TOM. "Rethinking Immigrant Integration in the American South: Can Museums Help Communities Address a Major Social Challenge?" In Remix: Changing Conversations in Museums of the Americas, edited by Holo Selma and Álvarez Mari-Tere, 182-85. University of California Press, 2016. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt19rmbt3.38.

“Museum Best Practices for Managing Controversy.” National Coalition Against Censorship. National Coalition Against Censorship, July 15, 2019. https://ncac.org/resource/museum-best-practices-for-managing-controversy.

“Latino Stories.” National Museum of American History. National Museum of American History, July 25, 2018. https://americanhistory.si.edu/america-on-the-move/essays/latino-stories.

Revised Paragraph Statement and Research Question

Research Question: Using shared authority, how can a narrative such as the topic black hair be experienced through an exhibition in a new perspective? 

The focus of the topic will be elements of a community driven oral history and art project. This project-based thesis will involve a photographic and an oral documentation/audio interview component. This is a topic that I have been fleshing out through other classes like Intro to Public History and Exhibition Design. I am drawing up inspiration from writers like Michael Frisch on shared authority and looking at groups like the Oral History in Liberal Arts organization who explore topics and projects using oral history. For the artistic aspect, I have been taking inspiration from art exhibitions surrounding black hair topics from artists like Laurna Simpson and Ellen Gallagher. Pieces have also been written on the topic specifically by Kobena Mercer. The piece “Black Hair/Style Politics” does a scope of black hairstyles throughout time and political movements like “Black is beautiful” this will give me context and inspiration for the photo element or even interview questions.  

Sources: 

1. 1. Frisch, Michael H. A Shared Authority: Essays on the Craft and Meaning of Oral and Public History. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2011. 

2. 
   
   2. “Disrupting Authority: The Radical Roots and Branches of ...” Accessed September 29, 2019. https://ncph.org/history-at-work/disrupting-authority-the-radical-roots-and-branches-of-oral-history/. 

3. 
   
   3. Desroches, Jules. “Haitian Identity Formation Project.” Accessed September 29, 2019. http://ohla.info/toolkit/student-project-archive/haitian-identity-formation-project-jules-desroches/. 

4. 
   
   4.Mercer, Kobena. “Black Hair/Style Politics.” Black British Culture And Society, n.d., 111–21. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203360644_chapter_9. 

5. Simpson, Lorna. “See an Artist's Celebration of Black Hair.” The Cut, June 12, 2018. https://www.thecut.com/2018/06/lorna-simpson-collages-black-hair.html. 

Statement of topic and research questions draft

My topic is the Repatriation of non-native artifacts in small museums, more specifically what should small institutions do when they do not reasonably have the funds to send objects back to their homes. What kinds of obligations do they have to these objects in regard to their care and exhibition? What can they do to best pay respects to these objects? With all the technology of the modern age, what options does this open up for them?

I want to use my hometown library as an example, along with hopefully finding other case studies, to look into what museums have been doing with objects like this. One of the other elements of this that I have been considering how to handle is whether I should get more specific and restrict the conversation to just non-native human remains, and in research if I can find enough case studies that is something I will consider. My concern with restricting it further, however, is that it might not be as generally useful terms because I don’t know how common it is that a small-time museum would have non-native human remains. Either way, I still have a lot to work on to clarify and refine this.

Topic paragraph

Research Question: How can shared authority positively impact exhibitions surrounding first hand narratives?

As I try to connect my project more to museum theories, I have been looking into oral history narratives and how shared authority can be executed and in what ways. I want to create an oral history and photograph project. I want to help facilitate a conversation surrounding black women and their hair. I want them to share their experience on how their hair has shaped their lives. Whether in corporal world or in society in general (still fleshing that out) and give insight to the heavier political stance of natural hair.

The first source is from Michael Frisch who argued that shared authority wasn't just an artistic choice but necessary to good oral history and narrative moving forward within institutions. Frisch argued that oral and public historians must share authority with their narrators, not give it up to them. How does this theory work when it's independent of an archive of objects and more of an oral exhibition. 

The second source is from the National Council of Public History. It's a piece from the Radical Roots which is a collective research project which mission is to "conceptualize the relationships between archival, public, and radical oral history". They dig into the importance of shared authority in different mediums within museums and other institutions. 

The third source is from the Oral History in Liberal Arts organization. On the website are many projects surround oral history. One that peaked my interest was the Haitian Identity Formation Project by Jules Desroches. His project was to interview people from the Haitian Diaspora on race, gender, and nationality to better understand how Haitian viewed themselves in society. It is a great example of oral history and shared authority as each person uploaded their own videos and had the opportunity to have a say in editing. 

Sources:
1. Frisch, Michael H. A Shared Authority: Essays on the Craft and Meaning of Oral and Public History. State University of New York Press, 2011.
2.Shopes, Linda, and Amy Starecheski. “Disrupting Authority: The Radical Roots and Branches of Oral History.” National Council on Public History, https://ncph.org/history-at-work/disrupting-authority-the-radical-roots-and-branches-of-oral-history/.
3. Desroches, Jules. “Haitian Identity Formation Project.” Oral History in the Liberal Arts, 17 June 2018, http://ohla.info/haitian-identity-formation-project/.

It's a Topic!

Research Question: 

How can the education system improve their programs surrounding the mental health of their students? 

Changing the stigma surrounding mental illness is a very important issue that our society is facing today. I believe it is important to start the conversation anywhere you can. 

            So, for my thesis, I will be focusing on the programs that the secondary education system, specifically in New York state, has in motion now to improve the mental health of their students. 

My research will see what resources if any, schools have in place for their students to use when it comes to their mental health. I will also focus on what is required by New York State’s Board of Education when it comes to teaching about mental health. I want to know when schools implement these requirements into their curriculum, and how they go about it. I think it’d be interesting to see if the schools do the bare minimum of what is required or if they go above and beyond. However, I think it will also be important to see how access to resources, funding, and location of the school affects how they tackle this problem and ways the state can improve this.

            I also would like to research what students think of what the school is doing by surveying classes in multiple schools about the topic of mental health and see the baseline of what they know, what the school has taught them, and if the school itself helps them in a way they feel is adequate. I do not think my research would be complete without student’s opinions who actually attend New York schools and experience what they have to offer. What they have to say about how they believe their school could improve is extremely significant to my research because the point of my work is to succor them. 
          At the end of my research, I hope to create a curriculum or public program that can be implemented in schools or other educational institutions aimed at these students that help educate on mental illness, and ways to improve how schools handle the conversation and education on mental health. 

Draft Statement of Topic & Research Question

DRAFT Research question: How can digital memory capture add context to and increase emotional accessibility at an existing public memorial site? 

(Additional questions: How can memory be preserved digitally? How does public memory and/or the use of public memorials evolve over time? Are public memorials considered sites of active grieving? Does digital memory capture have the potential for retraumatization? If so, what are the best practices for empathetically addressing the more difficult aspects of public memory and memorialization?)
_____________________________________________________________________________
(working definitions)
digital memory capture: photographs, videos, audio recordings, digitized keepsakes, etc.

emotional accessibility: how often and to what degree can the visitor forge emotional connections to individuals memorialized on-site and/or to the experiences/memories of the individuals' families
_____________________________________________________________________________

Statement of Topic:

Thematic Locus: Sperr Memorial Park, Big Flats, NY

If you saw last week's post, then you've already met my friend Andy Sperr. In case you didn't, let's quickly recap: Andrew J. Sperr was a New York State Trooper killed in the line of duty on March 1, 2006. His legacy, realized through the creation of Sperr Memorial Park, lives on through those that loved him and those affected by their experiences in the park. For both myself and members of the immediate community, Sperr Park is not only appreciated as a sacred space, but is also considered a site of public memory.

For my Senior Thesis, I would like to create an app-enabled walking tour of the different memorials at Sperr Park. (What I've been informally calling the "love child of walking tours and StoryCorps.") Through interviews that I will conduct, app users will be invited to listen to audio recordings from the families of individuals memorialized on site. It is my earnest desire that the app experience would not only enhance visitor appreciation, but also increase the understanding that the names inscribed on stone and bronze tablets belonged to individuals that should never be forgotten.

This project will exist at the intersections of public memory, commemoration and digitization, and will always be conducted with reverence and empathic understanding.
_____________________________________________________________________________

A view of the water from the walking trail at Sperr Memorial Park. (Photo taken by the author in June 2019.)

I am feeling grateful this is a draft, I need time and help on this research question!

How to exhibit theatre memorabilia?

The allure of theatre and movies is almost universal, and anything used for the

theatrical process always attracts attention. When the made purpose of these objects is complete, how can they be exhibited to extend their educational and pleasureful reach? I proposed to find this out, by helping the Geva theatre exhibit a collection of paper theaters they currently have in storage. By bringing these works of art to light and hopefully exhibiting them, I would like to see what it takes to set up an exhibition like this and all the steps it requires.

I would first have to reach out to them and get a feel for what they have. Then I would do some research on what type of exhibition would be most accurate in exhibiting these objects.

Blog Post 3

Research Question: What and how are New York Indigenous groups and institutions doing, as it pertains to preserving and creating a digital presence, when it comes to disseminating their culture?

Research Paragraph: My topic that I want to explore is what are Indigenous groups in New York doing to maintain a digital presence? I really want to look at how smaller and much less budget heavy institutions, keep up in the digital landscape. When I talk about the digital landscape I'm talking about both preservation, conservation, and protection of their cultural objects, alongside how they keep their voices loud and heard on the internet as that is where our society is drifting towards, online. I really want to explore not only the evolution of some of these tactics but also where the trends point to as a next step or where the digital goals are actually leading to. I also want to explore the idea of how these cultures in particular view digital preservation as it has many benefits but a lot of what we view as solutions in the modern museum do not align with their beliefs and they face different challenges than some of our more familiar cultures but also have some similarities that should be highlighted.

Blog Post 3: Language is Power

Research Question:
How can museums use language to end visitor alienation and increase engagement?

Changing or evolving language use in museums can help to stop alienation of visitors. It is important to create a broader insider group through the way we speak to our visitors. Currently there is a major gap in how museums communicate their visitors and how visitors and the general public communicate with each other. This includes the languages that are prominent in the museum, as well as the different slang and pop culture level words that we use regularly. If visitors don't feel welcome in our institutions, or can't understand what we're trying to say then we need to reevaluate how we communicate. 

Recently, the International Council of Museums held a contentious vote on changing the definition of the museum; the results of this vote were to postpone the conversation. The word "colonizer" proved too much for the conference attendees to bear and they did not look beyond the word into the meaning and message that the shift in definition would mean for the field. It is worthwhile to see how the language we use can help shift meaning for the visitors. I will be looking at how language use in society creates inside groups and establishes a social hierarchy and how this is reflected in museums. Many other types of organizations are already doing this, museums can too. AAM's LGBTQ+ Alliance is already making efforts to make museum language more inclusive for all people, I'm hoping to use this as a case study and expand on it beyond gender and family related language. 

A Thesis Topic

Mapping the Past: The role interactivity plays in digital tourism

Research Question: Do interactives play a large role in online guided tours? 

To promote interconnectivity I would like to introduce an online guided tour for the 100th year anniversary of Camp Kawanhee, connecting those who cannot be at the reunion to the camp, and promoting the historic milestone that the area is celebrating. The online guided tour would be centered on a map, providing a useful way for individuals to move about the space, and recognize areas from the past. The map would enable the experiencer to be taken through a digital tour, that allows visitors to look through photographs, audio, and archival material in the hopes of simulating an experience that reminds them of camp life. The map would look at both the past and present in an effort to simulate changes made over time. My research question centers on how these interactives play a large role in digital tourism, and how the material presented makes a strong personal connection between the “visitor” and the digital space, creating a more authentic and impactful experience.

Blog post 3: a topic!

Research Question: How can museums facilitate object-based learning for independent living community residents?

With the baby boomer generation approaching retirement and the average age of Americans increasing, industries must evolve to serve the growing 55+ population. According to the US Census Bureau, "1 in every 5 residents will be retirement age" by 2030.¹ A larger aging population means more people living in nursing homes, assisted living, and independent living communities.

Traditionally, museum education has focused on school children, and more recently programming has branched out to include 21+ events as well. Now, however, is the time to expand our horizons even further and embrace museum education for all ages, especially for those who may not be able to visit the physical museum on their own. We have one decade before 20% of the population is eligible for retirement, and we must plan for this change in demographics in order to be prepared for the shift in visitorship.

My project will act as a bridge between a Rochester-area museum and local assisted living community. I hope to create a program to bring to residents utilizing a pre-existing teaching collection that can be handled and used to spark conversations. Following the program, I will reflect on the effectiveness of it, and make recommendations based on my experiences for those wishing to host a similar program in the future.

Cited: 
¹ Bureau, US Census. “Older People Projected to Outnumber Children.” The United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 23, 2019

Post #3: And Lo, The Mist Took the Form of a Statement of Topic

For my thesis, I will research how Western museum's practices and ideas have influenced non-Western museums. Practices include curation, exhibition design, interpretation, education, architectural design, and administration. Ideas include, but are not limited to, valuation of art, selection of subject matter, judgement of what is appropriate to be preserved or accessioned, and what should be displayed and how. "Ideas" is essentially an exploration of the ideologies behind the "practices," or what leads to the practices. The anticipated themes are colonialism, imperialism, globalization, Western paternalism, decolonization, and national identity.

My research question is, "How have the practices, standards, and traditions of Euro-American, or Western, museums influenced those of non-Western museums, and how can non-Western museums deconstruct those influences?" I define non-Western museums as those operated in countries in which the majority of the population is not of predominantly European ancestry. In order to narrow the scope of my research, I will select one non-Western museum to use as a case study, although I will also examine larger global trends and trends within the country that the case institution is located in. The museum's staff and administration should largely consist of people of color who are native to the country.

Mulling Over Ideas

As the time I have to think about the endless possibilities of thesis topics expires, I'm forced to narrow my thoughts down.  While many ideas have crossed my mind, the ones that have the biggest draw are the ones involving the exploration of my interests in cultural heritage, specifically the cultural heritage of England, where I was born.  

One part of England that has always fascinated me is the West Country: the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.  The West Country has always been defined by its maritime history, but the part of their history that I've viewed to be under-valued and under-utilized is their pirating and privateering history.

Plymouth alone, in Devon can lay claim to famous Pirates Henry Every, Christopher Condent, John Hawkins, and most famously of all, Sir Francis Drake.  These legendary pirates and privateers were infamous during the golden age of piracy, yet find little recognition in local institutions.  Instead, focusing more on the pilgrims trip on the Mayflower.

While this is only an idea, the concept of combining cultural heritage with the idea of cultural tourism excites me, as it is a path in my career that I'd be excited to explore.

Beyond that, after reading an article about the cultural significance of the Garbage Plate, it also inspired me to think about the English food I miss, and the common cultural misconceptions people retain about British food in general.  The idea of exploring the heritage behind the foods so commonly eaten in the U.K. and how they can be preserved also peaks my interest.

My Senior Thesis Topic

Hi everyone,

I'd like you to meet my friend, Andy. I never met Andy in life-- which sounds strange, but I promise I'll explain it in depth later.

Memorial to Trooper Andrew J. Sperr. (Eloise the Chihuahua for scale.) 

Andrew J. Sperr, also known to his family and friends as "AJ," was born on December 21, 1972, in Rochester, NY. In 1966, Trooper Sperr graduated from the NYS Police Academy, and later transferred to Troop E, in Horseheads, NY (1). 

On March 1, 2006, Trooper Sperr was killed during a routine traffic stop, unaware that the individuals in the vehicle had just robbed a bank nearby (1). He had just reached his ten-year career milestone in law enforcement.

Out of tragedy, something beautiful was created: a memorial park was established at the site where Andy lost his life. As an avid outdoorsman, he would be delighted to know that his legacy is realized through a walking trail, two stocked bodies of water, and countless enjoyment from visiting friends, families, and fisherman (1).

Over this past year, Sperr Memorial Park, located in the town of Big Flats, NY, has become one of my all-time favorite places to visit. I went there pretty often over the summer to not only recharge, but also, as a form of personal catharsis, have conversations about life with Andy. I know in my heart that he's always listening.

If all goes to plan, I'd like to make Sperr Memorial Park the locus of my Senior Thesis. It's a powerful site of public memory, not just for the legacy of Trooper Andrew Sperr, but also for the other members of law enforcement memorialized on site. I want to explore the nature of public memory, how it evolves over time, and how the public utilizes these sites. Most importantly, however, I want to create something that Andy and his family would be proud of. I want to create a space in which my very dear friend can reach new audiences and continue to shine his light.

_____________________________________________________________________________
1. "AJ's Biography." Sperr Memorial Park. Accessed September 16, 2019. http://www.sperrmemorialpark.org/BIOGRAPHY.html.

Moving in a direction

As week 4 has begun to settle in the weight of needing to decide what I want to do my thesis on settles in as well. When I began this semester, I was trying to think in more depth about what I'm interested in and what I can write that will keep me interested and how I can turn that into a thesis. I had a couple of different ideas, each touching on things I had thought about in the past and things that had once meant something to me, but moving forward I think I know what I want to do. What I needed to determine for the project is what I actually felt a personal stake in. Moving forward my topic is shaping up to be along the lines of:
A look into repatriation of non-Native artifacts, what can we do and what are our obligations to the objects when economically repatriation is not possible. How can modern technology help us do right by the objects and their homes?
The wording needs some work but the idea is there at least. I have talked with friends over the years about the mummy that lives in our home town, how weird it is and how ethically it feels a little off. But in talking about it and what we could do we always knew that sending them home wasn't economically an option for the small library at all. So taking on this project would finally allow me to answer the question "Alright, we can't send Hen back, but what can we do?"

Narrowing down a Topic

Hello again,

As I have mentioned before, and as many of you that know me know, that I love the meshing of technology and Museums. Most notably in the preservation and archival field. Yet I'm also finding that the cultural aspect of preservation is a topic that I really want to explore.

I've basically narrowed down my topics to two possible ones.

One possible topic would be one that focuses on how the Museum and Archival field are handling the digitization of dying cultures. This would focus on the interaction that academics and cultural leaders of these remote or indigenous peoples have. How each other interacts and how they come to as a happy medium as to preserving and recordings of their precious knowledge and experiences can be preserved. I am really curious how this topic is being approached and how it occurs regionally as we have an emphasis in the area on native peoples and their cultures and how it does impact the local history.

 Another topic that I was considering was one that looked at how smaller Museums are being dealt with when it came to their plans and means of having a digital presence, but also how they are digitizing if at all any of their often special collections. I know that a lot of academic institutions have placed a lot of funding and resources to open access of collections and I wanted to delve into how the partnership and  private smaller museums tackle or approach this growing field.

If anyone has any preference to either topic please let me know I would certainly liked to hear some opinions on which is more interesting to people and also what are some areas people would like me to cover in each idea.

Two Paths

Hello, Everyone,

There are two potential paths I would like to explore for a thesis.

I discovered one while doing another class project last semester. The Geva theater has these mini dioramas that depict the stage set up for their past shows, it includes the little actors, and any setting props specific to the play. They express how cool it would be if someone could help them exhibit these dioramas, not only as works of art but to educate people on the theatrical production process. I instantly loved the idea and would love to help them in any way I can!

The second path I could take would be an archeology-based project. This semester I am taking a class in archaeology and the professor gave me some ideas on how to do a thesis based on local archeological digs, and I have always been very interested in this. Also, my plans are to be a curator with a specialty in ancient history, so this just fits together. 

The paths are very different but based on things I really like; I don't know what I will choose. Or better said what will choose me!

Still Thinking...

Hello All, 

I’m still a little unsure about a topic for my thesis. I have a couple of ideas in mind, and hope to officially pick my topic by the end of the week!

My first idea and the one I’m focusing on right now is a guided interactive experience. The camp I interned at over the summer is celebrating its 100th anniversary and I would love to do an interactive map for the event that would take individuals around the camp and blend past and present spaces. When I was at the camp I initially thought I could do something similar to this on a brochure but quickly realized that I needed a bigger space to work with. I would love visitors to be able to touch a specific place on the map, and see archival material about that particular spot, and connect it to their own memories. In an ideal world there would already be a software that I could work off of and I could build my map this way. I’ve started to contact individuals about my idea and we will see where that leads. 

If this idea does not work out I’d love to work on a topic that surrounds the theme of grassroots activism and how this might be inserted into the museum, allowing those who come into the space to engage with the project and maybe even add to it or become involved. I would love to find a local museum or library who might be working on a similar project to see how they implemented their ideas and how this might have impacted the surrounding communities.

Who...knows?

Hello all!

Picking a thesis idea has been haunting me since freshman year. Since starting my journey in the museum studies field, I could not pinpoint an area where I was die-hard interested in. This alone made me nervous when it came to thesis, because I wanted to be sure I was passionate about whatever I was writing about. Over the last four years my interests have changed and evolved, and I decided I wanted to move past the museum field after graduation and focus my professional journey in education. 

So for my thesis project, I’m going to take the public history route to focus on the education system and their relationship to mental health initiatives. I’d focus on grades 9-12 for this thesis. I do not know whether or not I want to do a project-based thesis, or solely focus on the research.

If I were to a more project-based thesis, I’d want to focus on maybe creating a curriculum / program schools could follow to help improve their mental health initiatives for their students. If I did research, I’d mostly write about what their doing and how they could improve upon it. 

Not only do I have to research about what they are doing now in schools, I also have to research a lot about psychology and mental health disorders that affect people around the world.

I know I want to at least start by surveying highschools in the area of Rochester to see what they are doing, and what they think they can improve in regards to their mental health and wellness programs they have in place

Making Headway

     For the past year I've been dreading this. Choosing a research topic for me is like telling me to choose my favorite child or asking me for the answers to the universe. The only answers I can come up with are I can't choose I love them all or I have no idea where to even begin. Fortunately, I was introduced to a list of projects happening within the next year at RIT that faculty members will be working on and need help with. However, in order to understand how significant one of these projects is I think it'd be best for me to give a few explanations first.
     Last semester, I took a qualitative research class where the required reading was called "The Land of Open Graves Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail" by Jason De León. As I read this book I became entranced by the excellent storytelling and research behind the pages and ink. I begun to realize my curiosity in humanitarian efforts and crisis, in this case it was the humanitarian crisis on the southern US border. In that class, I wrote about the outbreak of the bubonic plague in Madagascar. In other classes I wrote about the need to preserve Saharan rock art as a result of regional political crisis and the importance of trans representation in mass media. I knew I wanted to research something about people, how we treat 'others', and how we can do better. I like to think of research and writing as a precursor and inspiration for action.
     Then comes the perfect project from me to base my research project on! It's a global pop-up exhibition called "Hostile Terrain" which fits perfectly with my two majors in soci/anth and muse. A part of this exhibition will be on RIT campus and I will, hopefully, be able to assist in visitor engagement, research, and ideation. I would like to work on this project and maybe write about how museums and exhibitions currently and in the past present controversial topics. Another writing idea could be on how museums create a space of open dialogue and can be a catalyst for change.
     Later on this week, I'll be going to a meeting to discuss more about the exhibition and my role in it. I'm trying to come up with a list of questions so I know what I'm getting myself into.

Thesis Ideas

Hello!

For my thesis, I wanted to expand on a project I've been piecing together since my first year of college. It is about the stigma of black hair and how it affects black women in the society. I wanted to focus on the corporate world and how the stigma can trickle down into micro aggressions. I want to focus on how those words or rules being implemented can take a toll on how black women feel about themselves and their image.

I want to develop this to be more project based with interviews of women from a variety of ages including RIT students. I want to include transcribing and maybe some media (video footage, photography). I think because it is such a niche topic, visuals and first hand perspectives can be really helpful.

I want to explore how an exhibition with shared authority of a narrative can look in contrast to how museums usually tell a person or peoples story. I want to prove how first hand accounts can engage and educate visitors in such a different way.

I am open to suggestions on how to make this project more concise or how to include more topics from the museum discourse that would work well with my project.

Blog post 2: narrowing a topic

Hello! I have two main ideas for my thesis right now, I'll lay them out and then discuss possible pros and cons of each. This will not only fulfill the required blog post for this week, but will hopefully help me to think through them more fully, inching myself closer to a decision.

My first idea is to work with the independent living facility my grandfather lives at in Fairport, NY and a local museum and/or library to bring the residents an educational program.

Possible pros of this are it's highly related to my career goal, museum education, and it would be a great project to put on my resume for future employment and grad school. I also think the personal connection to this home would motivate me more than working with any other audience, and would hold me more accountable. Not only would my grandfather and his neighbors stand to benefit, but my parents, aunts, and uncles would all be invested too. I wouldn't want to slack off and not do my best for all of them!

One major con of this idea is that my ability to finish it relies heavily on the home allowing me to begin, a museum or library allowing me to use their collection for the project, and being able to sync my schedule up to everyone else's. While I can't envision anyone turning away a highly motivated college kid wanting to do free work for them, you never know, and I'd hate to get halfway through and suddenly be left out on the sidewalk. Another potential issue is that perhaps the home used to have programs like the one I'm envisioning, and they were a flop with the residents. Finally, I'm not sure how to articulate a research question for this project. I understand the question is something that evolves all year, but I don't even know where to start.

All that being said, my other idea is to work with the Kodak archive and do an oral history project of how Kodak affected Rochester residents.

Pros of this include the fact that I already have strong connections to Kodak and the people working with the archive and I have a good sense of the company history which would serve as my background knowledge before I began talking with people. Also, if anyone were to do a Kodak oral history project, there would be no better place to do it than right here in Rochester, and here I am!

Cons could include the Kodak archive not wanting to make use of the oral histories if they paint a negative picture of the downfall of the company. This is understandable, the bottom line of the exhibit on Ridge Road was to create an "uplifting" portrait of Kodak in the 21st century, and my hypothesis is that very few folks these days would have positive, uplifting messages to share. This could be fixed by working with the city historian or a different museum in Rochester, but if I change who I'm working with then I lose the "pro" of having those strong connections I mentioned above. The other major con for this is that while I'm incredibly interested in oral history, Rochester, Kodak, et cetera, this project does not directly tie into the whole museum education career I'm currently envisioning for myself. Of course, that's okay, but should I stick with something more focused on what I want to do in the future? Should I reconsider what I want to do in the future, if this project is pulling me in? I have no answers yet!

Post #2: A Thesis is Conceived

Hello everyone,

I will be doing a research-based thesis on a socio-political topic, as it relates to museums. I decided to focus on this area because it is important for us to deconstruct the power structures that pervade our cultural institutions.

As of right now, I am pursuing the topic of how the practices of Euro-American museums influence those of non-Western museums. Specifically, I want to explore if or how imperialism and colonialism transmitted ideas about artistic ideals, curation, exhibition design, and administration. I was inspired to do this topic by reading about the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which seems to be greatly influenced by French art museums. So far, I have found a few sources that focus on African museums, specifically Nigerian ones. I will try to narrow my scope to a case study of one museum, and if I cannot do that, to one country.

The first topic I considered was, "How are museums sometimes used to legitimize government"? If the first topic doesn't work out, I will switch back to this one. I would explore the tactics governments use to endorse themselves through museums, including themes about propaganda, curation by elites, and financial influence.

Blog Post 2 - The age old question; is this cool enough?

Hello!

As I've been thinking about my thesis I found myself in a weird "is this idea cool enough" feedback loop that wasn't productive at all. I spent the last 3 weeks trying to get away from that to really focus on the things that I know I love and am interested in. So far I have three main ideas separated into three major topics, music, food and language.

Music and its impact on people has been something I've been interested in my whole life and i'm always trying to figure out ways to incorporate music into my life and my work. I feel like my idea for music is my weakest but here it goes anyway! If i were to choose this research area i'd like to research how music can be incorporated into museum engagement to enhance the visitor experience and expand their knowledge.

Food is obviously an important part of being alive and every culture has their own food traditions. Personal food traditions, intangible heritage, and how cultures can be embraced and maintained through food traditions is something I have done research on for my own culture and I'd love to expand on that and figure out how food can be incorporated into the museum/public history experience to preserve cultural heritage.

Language is also major and nearly everyone on Earth has language unless you've quite literally been raised by wolves. If I were to do this topic I would focus on how language use can impact visitor experience and I would try to explore ways that museums and other cultural institutions can adjust their language use so that they can be accepting and welcoming of the broadest swath of visitors. This would not only include educating staff on speaking to visitors but also expanding the languages offered in museum interpretation.

I really like all three of these ideas and would happily spend a year researching and writing about them but its almost decision time! I'm sure I'll be confident about my choice when I finally make it, but ask me again in a few weeks.

First Post!

Hello!

My name is Mandy and I am a fourth-year museum studies student!

My earliest memories of interacting with a museum as a child took place in the little library in my hometown. It had a small collection of an assortment of materials and objects on display, but its star object was tucked into its own little room deep in the library -- Its own mummy. As a child, if I'm being honest, it terrified me because "wow that's just.... a dead person??? lying there??? and we're looking at them?" But now as an adult and with the education, I've had with museum spaces I'm able to look at it and ponder the life that the person lived and how this mummy ended up in this weird little small town and the implications of that.

That tangent aside -- I'm also interested in what ways Museums can move to be more environmentally sustainable, and basically anything else I can learn about the museum world overall. I'm very excited to see what my fellow peers will dive into for their theses and where I end up as well!

Also, I did an internship last year at GCV&M that was super great and taught me a lot about the item accession process and about handling collections

Here is a mount I made for an exhibition that they had been working on!

First Blog Post

Hi all, 

I’m Landyn, a fourth-year in the Museum Studies program. 

The first museum experience that I can recall was in 2007, when my mom,
upon learning that I had selected Betsy Ross as the subject of my second-grade
book report, squirreled me away on her yearly trip to Philadelphia. To this day,
I’ll swear that visiting the Betsy Ross House --and later, the Tutankhamun and the
Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at the Franklin Institute* -- caused
something to awaken in me. Through museums, my insatiable quest for
knowledge found its home, and I like to think that I did too. 

For me, museums have always been a safe space-- a space in which I can
learn without restriction, and breathlessly share knowledge. In museums,
I’m allowed the chance to flex my brain-- to shamelessly become, as I so fondly
put it, “a plethora of useless knowledge.” It’s a constant source of intellectual
stimulation, and no two museum experiences are ever the same.
Honestly, it’s intoxicating. 

I’m fascinated by the museum experience, by that “Oh!” moment when everything
comes crashing down, and the visitor’s worldview realigns to accommodate
something new. It’s my belief that everyone --regardless of race, gender,
socioeconomic status, etc.-- deserves to experience the “Oh!” moment in the
museum space at least once in their lifetimes. 

My quest to expand my knowledge base has diversified these past few years.
Nowadays, it’s not good enough for me to think only of my own comfort
in the museum space-- I need to know that everyone is afforded the same rights
concerning knowledge and accessibility. I need to strive to constantly amend my
worldview, continually develop my sense of empathy, and always keep learning. 

______________________________________________________________________

*Seven year-old Landyn was a weird little kid knee-deep in her Egyptology phase. Why talk
about Disney princesses when I could tell you all about my favorite Egyptian goddess? 

A photo from my most recent Philadelphia trip. I'm always a sucker for museum ethics!