Invitation for Attendance and Call for Papers
INVITATION TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF MUSEUMS OF HISTORY, ICOM MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF
SERBIAN MUSEOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR ATTENDANCE AND ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION
IAMH/Historical Museum of Serbia, Belgrade 2008
Museums as places of reconciliation
LOCATION AND DATES OF COLLOQUIUM
Belgrade, Serbia, 24-27 September 2008
THEME
“Museum as places of reconciliation”, Belgrade 2008, is the eighth colloquium,
regularly organized by the International Association of Museums of History
(IAMH, www.iamh-aimh.org) every second year. As part of its project of
examining the social and political status and role of museums in present
times, the IAMH is delighted to be organizing the 2008 Belgrade Colloquium in
cooperation with the Historical Museum of Serbia (www.imus.org.yu).
The theme of the 2008 Belgrade colloquium is dedicated to the active role
which museums have in the process of reconciliation between parties with
opposite views. Although it seems, at first sight, that the modern societies
succeeded in their attempts to define, but not always to overcome, the main
points of conflict in distant and recent history, many questions related to the
explanation, interpretation and presentation of “knowledge” about that past
remain still unanswered.
The main effort of a certain number of modern societies to reach, through
dialog and communication, an understanding of the mechanisms on which the
cultural diversities (ethnical, national, ideological, class, gender, racial) are
based and thereafter converted into sources of conflicts, should be considered
as a starting point for their coexistence and reconciliation. According to this
idea, museums should also be involved in this process. Thus the goal of the
colloquium is, by means of academic theoretical knowledge and specific
museum practice, to give careful consideration to the different ways in which
the museums of certain communities create their relation both towards the
past and present, i.e. the visions of the future they wish to formulate. At the
same time, it is a nice opportunity, during the plenary sessions and interacting
dialogue, to discuss and exchange different museum practices in the field of
history, archaeology and ethnology, i.e. case studies from historical,
archaeological, national, city and many other museums throughout the world.
The main theme of the colloquium is closely related to the question of the
relationship between museums and the varied policies of representation in
museums. It is well known that “the production of cultural diversities creates
the impression of historical changes” and that museums did have an active
role in the processes of the creation of nations, as well as in colonization.
Therefore it seems to be of outstanding importance to recognize the political
and ideological narratives within museum practices, i.e. the ways in which
museums can contextualize the museum artifacts through their collections,
funds, permanent and thematic exhibitions. In addition to this, museums are
places of (de)construction of social memory and therefore, the following
questions are also to be considered important: What is the fate of a museum
after a war, when the memory is exposed to a restoration, and can that be
done through a reinterpretation of the differences between the parties formerly
in conflict?; Does the presentation of the past in postcolonial and post
communist societies only mean the replacement of the existing stereotypes
and narratives?; What is the role of historical disciplines in reaching a
consensus about the presentations of the past?; What is the responsibility of
museum professionals in presenting “old” and “new” historical truths?
Answers to only some of these questions, regardless of whether it is a matter
of theory or of particular examples, would definitely contribute to the
improvement of museum practices. Eventually, the key question refers to the
perspectives of museums in their conceptualization of the past, which cannot
be reached without an understanding of cultural diversities as a prerequisite
for the reconciliation of the most divergent points of view.
ATTENDANCE AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
We invite you to support our Belgrade 2008 Colloquium with suggestions of
how we, as museum professionals, are dealing with and should carry out the
professional responsibilities placed upon us.
The challenges and themes mentioned above will be discussed by means of
keynotes and case studies from actual museum and exhibition work of recent
years.
Philippos Mazarakis-Ainian, President of the International Association of
Museums of History, Dr Ana Stolic, Director of the Historical Museum of
Serbia, and the Belgrade 2008 Project Coordinator Sladjana Bojkovic
(Historical Museum of Serbia) invite all IAMH members and others interested
in our theme to attend and actively participate in professional exchange and
discussion.
Please submit any suggestions for themes and presentations of case studies
by March 31, 2008, to: ana.stolic@imus.org.yu and
sladjana.bojkovic@imus.org.yu
The length of abstracts should not exceed 400 words.
Please also ensure that you indicate your role in the submitted project and
include your contact address and all professional details (name, position,
address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail).
CONTACT
Dr Ana Stolic
Director
Historical Museum of Serbia
Djure Jaksica 9
Serbia, 11000 Belgrade
Tel: 381 11 3287242
Fax: 381 11 3287243
E-mail: ana.stolic@imus.org.yu
Sladjana Bojkovic
Senior Curator and Project Coordinator
Historical Museum of Serbia
Djure Jaksica 9
Serbia, 11000 Belgrade
Tel: 381 11 3287242
Fax: 381 11 3287243
E-mail: sladjana.bojkovic@imus.org.yu