Alexander Smith | Lund University (original) (raw)
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Queer/Non-binary Appalachian-American
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Thesis Chapters by Alexander Smith
Lunds Universitets Publikationer/Lund University Publications, 2024
For decades there has been a push to bring museums into alignment with current thought on how his... more For decades there has been a push to bring museums into alignment with current thought on how history can be shared in a way that is more relevant for society today. This thesis draws on recent thought and theories of practice in museums that coincide with these shifting perspectives, centering on the questions of how museums are already acting as de facto human rights duty-bearers, and how they might come to be viewed on a broader scale as duty-bearers for human rights. I opted to situate my research in relation to Indigenous rights in the United States, as an updated version of NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) regulations has created a moment in time when those involved in the museum sector have a strong focus on Indigenous-museum relations, drawing attention to practices and policies that may be out-of-date. With Historic St. Mary's City as a starting point for this research, I interview museum professionals, many of whom are Indigenous, to explore perspectives on the themes of shifting museum practices towards a human rights museology. Through the data, I came upon the idea that regulatory governance could be utilized in museums, or the museum sector writ large, and by utilizing grounded theory, I posit potential answers to the question of how museums could be viewed more broadly as duty-bearers of human rights.
Lunds Universitets Publikationer/Lund University Publications, 2024
For decades there has been a push to bring museums into alignment with current thought on how his... more For decades there has been a push to bring museums into alignment with current thought on how history can be shared in a way that is more relevant for society today. This thesis draws on recent thought and theories of practice in museums that coincide with these shifting perspectives, centering on the questions of how museums are already acting as de facto human rights duty-bearers, and how they might come to be viewed on a broader scale as duty-bearers for human rights. I opted to situate my research in relation to Indigenous rights in the United States, as an updated version of NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) regulations has created a moment in time when those involved in the museum sector have a strong focus on Indigenous-museum relations, drawing attention to practices and policies that may be out-of-date. With Historic St. Mary's City as a starting point for this research, I interview museum professionals, many of whom are Indigenous, to explore perspectives on the themes of shifting museum practices towards a human rights museology. Through the data, I came upon the idea that regulatory governance could be utilized in museums, or the museum sector writ large, and by utilizing grounded theory, I posit potential answers to the question of how museums could be viewed more broadly as duty-bearers of human rights.