Decolonising the museum

Beyond the curatorial

Description

Decolonising efforts in ethnographic museums have spanned decades, yet recent years have seen a notable acceleration as the issue gains prominence across the sector. While debates often centre on short-term initiatives—such as repatriation, community collaboration, and inclusive interpretation—this lecture seeks to complicate these narratives. Drawing on longitudinal research in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Sweden, it brings attention to behind-the-scenes processes often overlooked. It argues that decolonisation must be understood as a long-term, multifaceted endeavour shaped by diverse professionals, forms of expertise, and epistemological frameworks. Meaningful change requires museums to engage in deep organisational transformation and rethink how knowledge is produced. By shifting the lens from outcomes to processes, the lecture invites a reimagining of what meaningful decolonisation entails.

Program

​27 November 2025 - 17.00