Museums in a Global Context ─ National Identity, International Understanding

Most museum visitors can see how national character is reflected in the museum’s layout and collection. But museums do more than provide a mirror for national identity; they shape it. Museums in a Global Context looks at the way globalization has shaped museum culture, and in turn how museums have shaped the public’s understanding of various local, regional, and national identities. The contributors to this volume reflect upon a wide variety of issues in this field, including the politics of museum interpretation in a global context, issues of cultural patrimony and heritage tourism, and strategies for engaging both visitors and communities as a whole. To supplement these thematic essays, the editors offer case studies from around the globe, including Germany, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Vietnam. These in-depth accounts of specific national museum cultures underscore the common motives to educate and inspire, which can be found throughout the world.

Jennifer Dickey is associate professor and the coordinator of public history at Kennesaw State University, Georgia. Samir El Azhar is professor in the Department of English and American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Ben M’Sik University, Casablanca, Morocco. Catherine Lewis is executive director of museum, archives, and rare books, and professor of history at Kennesaw State University, Georgia.