Abstract
The field of museology has evolved greatly since its institutionalization in the 17th to 18th centuries, responding over the years to the specific circumstances of its time and place. The extent to which it has evolved is indication of the immense flexibility the field has developed to adapt to various needs. Recent advances in digital technologies, coupled with more recent advances in artificial intelligence, make the implementation of previously impossible museographical designs possible, presenting a new opportunity for museology to be put to practice in the service of peacebuilding in the world. This paper imagines and outlines a new interdisciplinary domain of practice, the Museology of Peacebuilding, which is described as the discipline and practice of an empowering pedagogy that uses museological strategies to re-establish the individual’s perception and relationship to reality to improve relations amongst estranged communities. The paper outlines the major tenets of this proposed new domain of practice drawing from theories and practices primarily in the fields of peacebuilding, museology, heritage studies and education. It also illustrates how this new domain would be practiced within the specific context of the island of Cyprus and the conflict between its Turkish and Greek ethnic communities.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Museology, Peacebuilding, Heritage Studies, Education, Cyprus, Interdisicplinary Studies
