Universität Wien
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240524 SE MM3 Object biographies. Collection history and changing meanings of museum artifacts from Africa (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 24 - Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

Participation at first session is obligatory!

The lecturer can invite students to a grade-relevant discussion about partial achievements. Partial achievements that are obtained by fraud or plagiarized result in the non-evaluation of the course (entry 'X' in certificate). The plagiarism software 'Turnitin' will be used.
The use of AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) for the attainment of partial achievements is only allowed if explicitly requested by the course instructor.
Moodle

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 25 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Mittwoch 01.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 08.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 15.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 22.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 29.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 05.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 12.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 19.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 26.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 03.12. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 10.12. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 17.12. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 07.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 14.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 21.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 28.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

Course content/commentary:
Using the concept of “object biography”, the course deals with the history of collecting and the changing significance of selected artifacts from Africa. In addition to an introduction to relevant theoretical and methodological approaches, the focus is on practical research work. Students will address the following questions: What meaning and function(s) did the object have in its place of origin? How and under what conditions did it come to the museum? What shifts in meaning and valorization has today's museum artefact undergone over time? And last but not least: How can the “biography” of an object be represented in an exhibition? The course takes place in cooperation with the private Kilenge Gallery in the 19th district and the Ethnographic Collection of the Institute KSA in Vienna. The aim is to develop object texts for an exhibition with the students based on research into the collection of the Kilenge Gallery in Vienna, which examines the holdings of the Kilenge Gallery from a global perspective.

Learning objective, qualification objective / Objectives, learning outcome
• Acquisition of basic knowledge of art history and art anthropology. Challenging perspectives on anthropology.
• The aim of the seminar is to write a scientific paper on the topic dealt with in the seminar.
• Expansion of one's own methodological spectrum in the sense of value-analytical reflection
• Understanding the historical development of analytical models
• Reflection on the cultural, social and political discourse field of art production
• Introduction and familiarization with selected disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to African art and culture.
Semester: Winter semester 25/26
Curriculum: MM3 or MM5A.
The workload to be completed by the students can be adjusted accordingly.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Type of performance assessment: (presentation: impulse presentation approx. 20 min.) Seminar paper of approx. 6500 words (20 pages), all aids are permitted.
Active participation in the discussion: 20%
Activity in the student forum: 30%
Final presentation: 20%
Final paper: 30%
Literature paper: 30%
Structure: 35%
Argumentation: 35%
It is explicitly pointed out again that all partial performances must be completed for a positive assessment!

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

It is explicitly pointed out again that all partial performances must be completed for a positive assessment!
The grading scale
Points Grade Predicate
100 - 89.5% 1 Very good
89.5 - 73.7% 2 Good
73.7 - 57.9% 3 Satisfactory
57.9 - 50.6% 4 Sufficient
50% - 5 5 Failed

Prüfungsstoff

In this seminar, the various work sections and texts will be developed and discussed together.
Type of performance assessment: (presentation: impulse presentation approx. 20 min.) Seminar paper of approx. 6500 words (20 pages), all aids are permitted.

Literatur

Byrne, Sarah et al: Networks, Agents and Objects. Frameworks for Unpacking Museum Collections, in: this. et al, Unpacking the Collection. Networks of Material and Social Agency in the Museum, New York et al. 2011, pp. 3-28, especially from p. 13. Golden, Chris / Marshall, Yvonne: The Cultural Biography of Objects, in: World Archaeology, Vol. 31, No. 2, 1999, pp. 169-178. Hoskins, Janet: Agency, Biography and Objects, in: Tilley, Christopher et al: Handbook of Material Culture, London 2006, pp. 74-84. Kopytoff, Igor: The cultural biography of things: commoditization as process, in: Appadurai, Arjun (ed.), The social life of things. Commodities in cultural perspective, Cambridge 1986, pp. 64-91. Loumpet-Galitzine, Alexandra: The Bekom Mask and the White Star: The Fate of Others' Objects at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, in: Byrne, Sarah et al, Unpacking the Collection. Networks of Material and Social Agency in the Museum, New York et al. 2011, pp. 141-164. Constantin Vidal: Die afrikanische Gegenwartskunst und ihr Verhältnis zur traditionellen Kunst Afrikas, Edition Münster 2019. Constantin Vidal: Zeitgenössische Kunst in Ostafrika Mit dem Schwerpunkt Uganda und Tansania unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Künstler George Kyeyune und Georges Lilanga
Literature: will also be distributed at the first meeting

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Mo 27.07.2026 09:27