Overview

Ideas regarding the role of the museum have become increasingly contentious. In the last fifteen years, scholars have pointed to ways in which states (especially imperialist states) use museums to showcase looted artefacts, to document their geographic expansion, to present themselves as the guardians of national treasure, and to educate citizens and subjects. At the same time, a great deal of attention has been paid to reshaping national histories and values in the wake of the collapse of the Communist bloc and the emergence of the European Union. (Re)Visualizing National History considers the wave of monument and museum building in Europe as part of an attempt to forge consensus in politically unified but deeply divided nations. This collection explores ways in which museums exhibit emerging national values and how the establishment of these new museums (and new exhibits in older museums) reflects the search for a consensus among different generational groups in Europe and North America. The contributors come from a variety of countries and academic backgrounds, and speak from such varied perspectives as cultural studies, history, anthropology, sociology, and museum studies. (Re)Visualizing National History is a unique and interdisciplinary volume that offers insights on the dilemmas of present-day European culture, manifestations of nationalism in Europe, and the debates surrounding museums as sites for the representation of politics and history.

Full Product Details

Author:   Robin Ostow
Publisher:   University of Toronto Press
Imprint:   University of Toronto Press
Edition:   2nd Revised edition
Dimensions:   Width: 16.00cm , Height: 2.20cm , Length: 23.60cm
Weight:   0.560kg
ISBN:  

9780802092212

ISBN 10:   0802092217
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   29 March 2008
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Museums and National Identities in Europe in the Twenty-First Century ROBIN OSTOWPart One. The Twenty-First Century: New Exhibits and New PartnershipsExhibition as Film MIEKE BALPart Two. Reconfiguring National History: Centralized and Local StrategiesThe Terror of the House ISTVAN REVPutting Contested History on Display: The Uses of the Past in Northern Ireland ELIZABETH CROOKEPart Three. Restoring National History with International ParticipationMuseums, Multiculturalism, and the Remaking of Postwar Sarajevo EDIN HAJDARPASI Building a Jewish Museum in Germany in the Twenty-First Century BERNHARD PURINRemusealizing Jewish History in Warsaw: The Privatization and Externalization of Nation Building ROBIN OSTOWPart Four. Displaying War, Genocide, and the Nation: From Ottawa to Berlin, 2005Constructing the Canadian War Museum/Constructing the Landscape of a Canadian Identity REESA GREENBERGPeter Eisenman's Design for Berlin's Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe: A Juror's Report in Three Parts JAMES E. YOUNGContributors Index

Reviews

'An important contribution to literature dealing with the missions and challenges facing contemporary museums in a postmodern world.' -- J.A. Day

Author Information

Robin Ostow is a resident fellow at the Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the University of Toronto.

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