This lecture illustrates how European museums present their colonial histories, including the embedded power structures within the stories that they present. Using a content analysis of museum placards, the presentation will discuss how highlighting marginalized voices can inadvertently support dominant views rather than challenge them. The lecture will also explore new ways museums can help visitors understand the lasting effects of colonialism.
Scott R. Sanders is an associate professor of Sociology at Brigham Young University and a Fall 2024 Kennedy Center Faculty Research Fellow. He is co-Executive Director and Treasurer of the Rural Sociological Society. He directs the Project Evaluation and Assessment Team (PEAT), training BYU students to assess and improve programs in partnership with non-profits across the globe. His research focuses on poverty alleviation, rural development, and global labor standards.
Part of our fall 2024 lecture series, "Legacies of Colonialism."
Image © The Trustees of the British Museum. Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.