Open Forum

Dear colleagues: [indulgence coveted for cross-posting]

The meaning of diaspora-in the sense of a minority group held captive in alien territory, exile from homeland, & including implicit hope for return-is applied to the museum industry in the most recent post on the Critical Museology Miscellanea blog.

Among several other related aspects brought to bear on the analysis of museum collecting is the worldview of Indigenous peoples incorporating an expansive concept of 'life' that encompasses all things-whether they be human, natural phenomenon, plants, or rocks-possessing a spiritual essence. 

See the most recent Critical Museology Miscellanea post "Museums as 'Diaspora' for Indigenous Peoples" blog post at https://miscellaneousmuseology.wordpress.com/2023/08/31/museums-as-diaspora-for-indigenous-peoples/ .

Thanks for thinking about these matters.

Respectfully yours