Overview

Aimed at museum educators, Multiculturalism in Art Museums Today seeks to marry museum and multicultural education theories. It reveals how the union of these theories yields more equitable educational practices and guides museum educators to address misrepresentation, exclusivity, accessibility, and educational inequality. This contemporary text is directive; it encourages museum educators to consider the critical multicultural education theoretical framework in their day-to-day functions in order to illuminate and combat shortcomings at the crux of museum education: Museum Educators as Change AgentsInclusion versus ExclusionCollaboration with Diverse AudiencesResponsive Pedagogy This book adopts a broad definition of multiculturalism, which names not only race and ethnicity as concerns, but also gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, age, and class. While focusing on these various facets of identity, the authors demonstrate how museums are social systems that should offer comprehensive, diverse educational experiences not only through exhibitions but through other educational activities. The authors pull from their own research and practical experiences which exemplify how museums have been and can be attentive to these areas of identity. Multiculturalism in Art Museums Today is hopeful and inspiring, as it identifies and commends the positive and effective practices that some museum educators have enacted in an effort to be inclusive. Museum educators are at the front-line interacting with the public on a daily basis. Thus, these educators can be the real vanguard of change, modeling critical multicultural behavior and practices.

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9780759124103

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Reviews

This much-needed text addresses the paucity of information about the strategies museums and museum educators can use to perform multiculturalism. Consistent with the goals and contributions of COMC over the past 40+ years, Acuff and Evans have addressed issues of multiculturalism and diversity that impact museum education using the framework of critical multicultural education theory. They direct us to arguments that reposition multicultural education from a largely theoretical domain to a more practical application that interrogates the construction and complexity of power relations, racialization, nondominate knowledge, and equity...COMC invites you to read and respond to this groundbreaking, seminal text. Naea News In Multiculturalism in Art Museums Today, essays explore how a museum can follow a library's example and lead the way as a community change agent by collaborating with diverse audiences and using educational programs to reach out to patrons. American Libraries I love this book. Its introduction and essays bridge the gap between academic theory and museum practice and address longstanding challenges in insightful new ways. I anticipate using it in museum studies courses. -- Cynthia Robinson, director of Museum Studies Program, Tufts University

I love this book. Its introduction and essays bridge the gap between academic theory and museum practice and address longstanding challenges in insightful new ways. I anticipate using it in museum studies courses. -- Cynthia Robinson, director of Museum Studies Program, Tufts University

This much-needed text addresses the paucity of information about the strategies museums and museum educators can use to perform multiculturalism. Consistent with the goals and contributions of COMC over the past 40+ years, Acuff and Evans have addressed issues of multiculturalism and diversity that impact museum education using the framework of critical multicultural education theory. They direct us to arguments that reposition multicultural education from a largely theoretical domain to a more practical application that interrogates the construction and complexity of power relations, racialization, nondominate knowledge, and equity. . . . COMC invites you to read and respond to this groundbreaking, seminal text. * Art Education Journal * In Multiculturalism in Art Museums Today, essays explore how a museum can follow a library’s example and lead the way as a community change agent by collaborating with diverse audiences and using educational programs to reach out to patrons. * American Libraries * I love this book. Its introduction and essays bridge the gap between academic theory and museum practice and address longstanding challenges in insightful new ways. I anticipate using it in museum studies courses. -- Cynthia Robinson, director of Museum Studies Program, Tufts University

Author Information

Joni Boyd Acuff is assistant professor of art education at the Ohio State University. Laura Evans is assistant professor of art history and art education and the director of the Art Museum Education Certificate at the University of North Texas.

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