This course enables students to engage in critical analysis, discussion and reflection on the entanglements between memory institutions and empire. Rooted in concepts of decolonial praxis and reparative justice, the course interrogates how cultural heritage organisations were implicated in slavery, colonialism and imperialism. It also considers current movements towards acknowledging and addressing the determining impact of this past on contemporary realities. Through a combination of seminar-based classes and site visits, it simultaneously examines the institutional legacies of empire and looks to practices, approaches, skills and knowledge needed to confront and challenge ongoing colonial systems and structures.

1 x two-hour seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

ARTMED5048

INFOSTUD5021

None

Short-form report (e.g. exhibition review, display critique, seminar paper) of 1250 words in length (30%), and an essay of 3250 words (70%).

This course aims to:

■ introduce students to key events, theories and debates concerning the relationship between memory institutions and colonialism, imperialism, postcoloniality, decolonisation and reparative justice and provide them with the opportunity to develop nuanced understandings of these issues;

■ enable students to critically analyse how cultural heritage institutions have historically been shaped by slavery, colonialism and imperialism and continue to impacted by the legacies of this;

■ develop students' knowledge and understanding of these topics and support students in becoming critical and independent thinkers;

■ encourage students to take account of these issues when reflecting on their positionality and values as cultural heritage professionals.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Demonstrate nuanced understanding of events, theories and debates concerning the entanglements between memory institutions and empire, past and present, in written and oral forms Differentiate between diverse scholarly arguments and professional viewpoints;

■ Differentiate between and evaluate diverse scholarly arguments, professional viewpoints and calls to action; Evaluate the implications of decolonial theory for contemporary museum practice;

■ Identify and apply relevant critical theory (e.g. postcolonial, decolonial, critical race theory, critical Indigenous theory) to the analysis of historic and contemporary cultural heritage operations such as collecting, classification, cataloguing, display and interpretation;

■ Evaluate the implications of concepts of anti-racism, decoloniality and reparative justice for contemporary cultural heritage practice; 

■ Assess and reflect on their positionality, values and ethics as practitioners in relation to current conversations within the cultural heritage sector regarding decolonisation, anti-racist practice and social justice.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.