080058 VO The Global Museum (nst.K.) (2017W)

Course Description:
This course examines the histories, theories, and discourses of The Global Museum as a contested paradigm from the post-war to the present.

The historical and theoretical scope of this course focuses on a few central questions: First, what are the diverse ambitions of the global museum and how are they manifested architecturally, curatorially, and discursively? Second, how does the global museum align and diverge with different models of individual and collective identity as they are proposed by various stakeholders, socioeconomic agendas, and political interests? Third, how does the global museum intersect with and diverge from different theories of globalization, especially as they relate to the tensions between ‘local’ and ‘global?

The approach is genealogical. As such, we will not seek some true, unchanging meaning of the global museum but, rather, examine diverse, even opposing, ideological uses of the concept and ongoing contests over its meanings. This course does not claim to provide an exhaustive catalogue of every important artistic activity under this rubric, but will approach the issue through a series of case studies.

Aims, Contents, and Method of the Course: The course methods include lectures, discussions, field trips, close analysis of aesthetic and discursive artifacts. Students should be prepared to read diverse histories and theories addressing globalization and contemporary art as well as texts from different disciplines including museological studies, urban geography, sociology, cultural studies, feminist and postcolonial theories, gender studies, and political philosophy.

A Reading Tutorial covering assigned texts will be offered by the course assistant. Though not mandatory, it is highly recommended that students attend these sessions.