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.