Museum Anthropology

ANT 305, Fall 2015

“Museums are about cannibals and glass boxes, a fate they cannot seem to escape no matter
how hard they try… Museums are cannibalistic in appropriating other peoples’ material for
their own study and interpretation, and they confine their representations to glass box display
cases. There is a glass box for everyone…”
- Michael Ames, Cannibal Tours and Glass Boxes: The Anthropology of Museums (1992: 3)

Instructor: Dr. Andrew Gurstelle

Email: [email protected]
Class Period: Tuesday, 2:00pm – 3:15pm
Thursday, 2:00pm – 3:15pm
08/25/2015 – 12/04/2015
Room: Carswell 018
Office Hours: Tuesday, 3:30pm – 4:45pm
Thursday, 3:30pm – 4:45pm
Other times may be available by appointment.
Office: Anthropology 014B

Course Information
Museums are places where objects are brought to be put on display. Museums are more
than architecture for housing arts and artifacts, however, as they are also places where ideas and
theories are created, debated, and presented. They are institutions that reflect—and sometimes
challenge—the power relations and dominant ideologies of society. They are spaces for public
spectacle and congregation. Museums are all of these things, and more, and less.
This course traces the development of anthropology in museums from the 19th century
CE to the present day. Attention is given to the historical development of museums, including
their precursors, and the intersection of these collecting institutions with European exploration,
colonization, and the professionalization of anthropology. From these beginnings, museums have
inherited many of their current practices: collecting, curating, conserving, and exhibiting. Each
of these are addressed in turn. This course also introduces topics in current museum
anthropology politics, theory, and practice. Particular emphasis is placed on the range of
responses from peoples and societies to their own representation in museums.
In all topics, this course seeks to use objects and experiences to contextualize the
readings and discussions. Timely case studies and examples are also put to this use. It is crucial
to remember that though museums tend to be full of dusty old things, they are often at the heart
of the news of today. These two points make the course dynamic, but they may also inject some
uncertainty into the course schedule. The exact timing and selection of visits, events, and
exercises may change, but the general themes and topics will remain the same.
Each class period consists primarily of group discussions, with occasional use of videos,
lectures, and short exercises. Discussions provide an opportunity for critical analysis of museum
issues, as well as a forum for questions, clarifications, comments, and opinions on course
readings. Readings should be done prior to discussions. Three class periods (9/3, 9/24, and
10/29) are devoted to museum visits in lieu of discussions; in this term we will be visiting the
Wake Forest University Museum of Anthropology, the Reynolda House Museum of American
Art, and the New Winston Museum.
Learning Objectives
 Critically analyze the historical development of anthropology museums and its relation to
current museum politics, theory, and practice.
 Explain the logics, techniques, and power relations behind cultural appropriation and
representation.
 Explain the role of material culture in creating, maintaining, and contesting identities.
 Critically evaluate museum exhibits and other forms of cultural representation.
 Produce original research based on anthropology museum collections.

Readings
There are two required texts for this course (listed below). Both are available at the
campus bookstore. Used copies may also be purchased online. Be sure you are using the correct
editions! For reasons that will become clearer as the course progresses, both texts are fairly
dated, though their insights remain relevant to museum anthropology. The two texts are
supplemented by several chapters from Exhibiting Culture’s companion volume, Museums and
Communities, as well as chapters from its 2006 follow-up volume Museum Frictions. Newspaper
articles, journal articles, and other book chapters are also assigned to reinforce these core
readings, as well as to present case studies and timely issues relevant to the course. All readings
apart from the two required texts (listed below) are available from the course website on Sakai.
 Ames, Michael. 1995 (2nd edition). Cannibal Tours and Glass Boxes: The Anthropology
of Museums. UBC Press. ISBN: 978-0774804837.
 Karp, Ivan and Steven D. Lavine (eds). 1991. Exhibiting Cultures: The Poetics and
Politics of Museum Display. Smithsonian Books. ISBN: 978-1560980216.

Grading
Course grades are based on leadership of one discussion, four writing assignments, a
short research project, and a term paper. Grades are based on a possible total of 100 points.
Percentages are then converted to letter grades (A 93-100, A- 90-92, B+ 87-89, B 83-86, B- 80-
82, etc.).
Discussion Leader 10 points
Museum Review #1 10 points
Museum Review #2 10 points
Museum Review #3 10 points
Podcast Critique 15 points
Object Study 15 points
Term Paper 30 points

Attendance
Attendance for all class periods is required and expected. However, I understand that
things happens. That is why you may have up to three unexcused absences without an effect on
your grade. A penalty of 5 points per class period will be assessed against your course grade for
each unexcused absence in excess of three. Please inform me of excused absences for health
issues, religious observances, representing the University at an authorized function as approved
by the appropriate dean, etc., as soon as you can. Absence from class for any reason does not
excuse you from knowing the required material. It is imperative that you meet with me or your
classmates to review material covered during absences.
Discussion Leader
Each student will be responsible for leading one discussion. Discussion leaders will
prepare questions for the class, review the appropriate readings, and moderate the discussion.
Discussion leaders can also choose to broaden the scope of the discussion by linking course
content to events in the news, popular culture, personal experience, or other coursework. Any of
the discussions starting with 9/29 may be chosen. Sign up to be a discussion leader is due by the
end of class on 9/10. Leading a discussion is worth 10 points.

Museum Reviews
After each museum visit, you will write a short paper (approx. 500 words, or 2 double
spaced pages) reviewing the museum. This review must include a summary of the museum’s
mission, its history, what its collections are, who its audiences are, and the peoples or groups it
represents. However, good reviews will also reflect on how the objects, tour, or discussion at the
museums illustrated or challenged course material. Excellent reviews will go further by
reflecting on how anthropological knowledge is being produced in these museums through
collecting, curating, conserving, and exhibiting. Each response is due at the beginning of the
class period following the museum visit. There are three papers worth 10 points each, for a total
of 30 points.

Podcast Critique
You will write a modest paper (approx. 1000 words, or 4 double spaced pages) critiquing
the podcast series A History of the World in 100 Objects, produced by the British Museum and
the BBC. This podcast, as its title claims, attempts to tell a comprehensive narrative of world
history through material culture. For this critique, you will listen to three of the one hundred
podcasts in the series, choosing podcasts that describe objects from three distinct time periods.
This critique must include a description of the objects and a summary of the narratives presented
in each podcast. As with the museum reviews, you must also include a summary of the British
Museum’s mission, history, collections, and audiences. You need only summarize the peoples or
groups represented in the podcasts you listen to. This critique is to be more thorough than the
museum reviews, however. You must use specific references to course material to critically
analyze and evaluate the overarching narrative of the podcast that you will have identified.
Good critiques will also describe the common themes among the three objects that are
presented in the podcast. Good critiques will reflect on other common themes that are possible,
but not presented, and will speculate on why certain themes were highlighted in the podcasts at
the expense of others. You are encouraged to go so far as to describe how you might present the
objects, and what history (or histories) you would tell with these objects. Excellent critiques may
also include additional research (i.e., apart from the podcasts) about the objects when
appropriate.
The podcast critique is due by the beginning of the class period on 9/24. It is worth 15
points. The podcasts for the critique are available for free through the BBC website, iTunes, or
RSS feed:
 BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/player
 iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/history-world-in-100-
objects/id351096296?mt=2
 RSS feed: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/downloads.rss
Object Study
You will conduct original research on one or more objects of your choice from the
Museum of Anthropology’s collection. If material culture is something that particularly interests
you, I encourage you to think about using this object study as initial research for the term paper,
which may be on the same object/topic (described below). You can choose the object for your
research in whatever way most interests you: starting with a single object, or a small group of
related objects, and the questions or issues that these objects help you explore; or coming up with
a question that you could answer using some type of material culture. The object(s) of your study
must be chosen by the end of the class period on 9/10.
You will research your chosen object and provide the following information:
 What type of object is it?
 What is it made of? Who made it?
 How was it used? Who used it?
 How did it come to the Museum of Anthropology?
 What is its value to the Museum of Anthropology?
 What is its value to its creator(s), user(s), or their descendants?
 What information could you not find? What are the reasons for these lacunae?
You will have access to you chosen object at least once. Thus, your study should draw on
primary research based on the object itself. However, answering the above questions will require
you to do archival and secondary research as well. It is highly recommended that you meet with
me at least once so that you remain on the right track! In addition, your object study should
include a brief description of how you would exhibit this object. You are encouraged to be
creative in considering who you would use the object to represent, where the exhibition would
take place, what additional materials would be included, what other stakeholders would be
involved, what themes would be explored, what the general atmosphere or feeling of the
exhibition would be, etc.
There is no required length to this project, so long as each of the bulleted points above are
addressed and an adequate description of the hypothetical exhibition is given. A general target,
however, might be 500-1000 words, or 2-4 double spaced pages. The object study is due by the
beginning of the class period on 10/15. It is worth 15 points. Objects can be chosen from MOA’s
online database: http://cairo.deacnet.wfu.edu/CollectionsHome.aspx?PROWEBCOL

Term Paper
You will write a long paper (approx. 2500-3000 words, or 10-12 double spaced pages)
exploring the issues of museum practice, material culture, appropriation, representation, and
identity covered in the course. The topic of this paper may be either 1) a specific case study from
museum anthropology that relates to one or more of these issues; or 2) an expansion of the object
study that moves beyond basic research to draw in larger theoretical, ethical, and political issues.
A case study will critically analyze and evaluate a specific museum, exhibition, political event,
etc., by presenting not only the who, what, where, and when, but also the why and how. An
expansion of the object study will not rehash the same information from before, but build on it.
Your term paper topic must be chosen by the end of the class period on 10/27. An ungraded
outline and working bibliography is due by the beginning of the class period on 11/17. Each
student will give a 20 minute in-class presentation on their topic summarizing their research
process and findings. The paper itself is due by 5:00pm on 12/4. It is worth 25 points, and the
presentation is worth 5 points, for a total of 30 points.
Academic Integrity
As students at a premier institution of higher learning, I expect the most out of you—
including academic integrity. Academic integrity refers to abstaining from cheating, plagiarism,
and falsifying your work. It also refers to your general conduct in class. You are expected to
come to class periods prepared, ready to take notes and discuss the topic of the day. You are
expected to treat me and your classmates with respect, and in return you should expect the same.
For more information about academic integrity, please review the Wake Forest University
Student Code of Conduct:
http://static.wfu.edu/files/pdf/students/judicial-handbook.pdf

Late Work
Late work is not accepted. If you have extenuating circumstances and cannot turn in an
assignment on time, you must email me before the assignment is due. You need to explain why
you will not be able to complete it on time and when you anticipate turning it in. I will attempt to
accommodate your circumstances if possible.

Office Hours and Email

Email and office hours are the best ways to communicate with me outside of class
periods. If you wish to discuss something with me in private, contact me via email so we can
make alternative arrangements. You are also encouraged to email me questions you may have
about course topics. These questions will be answered during discussions.
I will try to answer emails as promptly as possible. I will respond within 24 hours to
emails received Monday-Thursday, 48 hours to emails received Friday-Sunday. Generally, I will
not check email after 8:00pm or before 8:00am.

Schedule
Tue, 8/25: Introductions
What is Museum Anthropology about?
You are an object! / You are not an object!
Course syllabus
Readings
None

Thu, 8/27: Museum Definitions

Philosophy of collecting institutions
Basics of museum practice
Where do anthropological research and museum practice intersect?
Readings
Ames 1995 Introduction – Chapter 1
Cameron 1971 The museum, a temple or the forum – Sakai
Lavine & Karp 1991 Introduction: Museums and Multiculturalism – EC
Karp & Kratz 2006 Introduction: Museum Frictions – Sakai

Tue, 9/1: Museum History I: 1500-1950 CE

Aristocratic collecting
Scientific collecting
 Colonial and missionary collecting
World’s Fairs
The professionalization of museum anthropology
Readings
Ames 1995 Development of museums in the Western world – Chapter 2
Ames 1995 Dilemmas of the practical anthropologist – Chapter 3
Boas 1907 Some principles of museum administration – Sakai
Bennett 1988 The exhibitionary complex – Sakai

Thu, 9/3: Museum Visit #1: WFU Museum of Anthropology

Exhibition
Curation
Conservation
Collection
Readings
Ames 1995 Anthropology of museums and anthropology – Chapter 4
Alpers 1991 The museum as a way of seeing – EC Chapter 1
Baxandall 1991 Exhibiting intention – EC Chapter 2
Moser 2010 The devil is in the detail

Tue, 9/8: Museum History II: 1950+ CE

The “museum turn”
Objects, peoples, narratives
Collaborative models of museums
The digital revolution
Readings
Duncan 1991 Art museums and the ritual of citizenship – EC Chapter 6
Greenblatt 1991 Resonance and wonder – EC Chapter 3
Gurian 2002 Choosing among the options – Sakai
Ames 1995 Are museums or anthropology necessary? – Chapter 10
Assignment
Museum Review #1 due at beginning of class period

Thu, 9/10: Museum Anthropology

How do anthropology museums fit into museum history?
Ethics of collection
Ethics of representation
Research and collaboration
Readings
Ames 1995 How anthropologists stereotype other people – Chapter 5
Ames 1995 How anthropologists fabricate cultures – Chapter 6
Boon 1991 Why museums make me sad – EC Chapter 15
Hudson 1991 How misleading does an ethnographical museum have to
be? – EC Chapter 20
Assignment
Sign up for Discussion Leader due by end of class period
 Choice of object(s) for Object Study due by end of class period

Tue, 9/15: Defining Art and Artifact

How are objects chosen for ethnographic collections?
Aesthetics and cultural relativism
What is “authentic” material culture?
Readings
Ames 1995 Definition of native art – Chapter 7
Clifford 1991 Four Northwest Coast museums – EC Chapter 14
Crew & Sims 1991 Locating authenticity – EC Chapter 10
Vogel 1991 Always true to the object, in our fashion – EC Chapter 12
Price 2007 Into the mainstream – Sakai

Thu, 9/17: Thinking with Things

Finding meaning in material culture
Formal, symbolic, and cognitive analyses
Putting objects in context
Readings
Prown 1994 Mind in matter – Sakai
Kirshenblatt-Gimblett 1991 Objects of ethnography – EC Chapter 20
Gosden 2005 What do objects want? – Sakai
Pearce 1992 Objects inside and outside museums – Sakai

Tue, 9/22: Object Provenance

Material culture biographies
Collecting practices and cultural attribution
Using objects in research
Readings
Macdonald 2006 Collecting practices – Sakai
Kopytoff 1986 The cultural biography of things – Sakai
Kaeppler 1974 Cook voyage provenance of the ‘artificial curiosities’ of
Bullock’s Museum – Sakai
Wiseman 1984 Scholarship and provenience in the study of artifacts –
Sakai

Thu, 9/24: Museum Visit #2: The Reynolda House Museum of American Art
Historic houses as representation
Art collections as representation
Meaning and context in visual art
Readings
Smith 1988 Reynolda – Sakai
Young 2007 Is there a museum in the house? – Sakai
Assignment
Podcast Critique due at beginning of class period

Tue, 9/29: Who Owns Culture?

 Where is culture located?
The concept of heritage
UNESCO conventions
Readings
Hoelscher 2006 Heritage – Sakai
Graham et al 2005 The uses and abuses of heritage – Sakai
Meskell 2012 The rush to inscribe – Sakai
Bauman & Sawin 1991 The politics of participation in folk-life festivals –
EC Chapter 16
Ames 1995 Museums in the age of deconstruction – Chapter 14
Assignment
Museum Review #2 due at beginning of class period

Thu, 10/1: Community Responses to Museums

Museum anthropologists and those they collect, study, and exhibit
The colonial critique of museums and anthropology
How can anthropology adapt?
Readings
Karp 1991 Introduction: Museums and Communities – Sakai
Ames 1995 Native view of history and culture – Chapter 8
Deloria 1988 Anthropologists and other friends – Sakai
Clifford 1997 Museums as contact zones – Sakai

Tue, 10/6: Voice and Representation

Who represents and who is represented in museums?
Case Study: National Museum of the American Indian
Case Study: Musée du Quai Branly
Readings
Ames 1995 The politics of interpretation – Chapter 13
WATCH: Adichie 2009 The Danger of a Single Story –
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_
single_story?language=en
Shannon 2009 The construction of native voice at the NMAI – Sakai
Kimmelman [NYT] 2006 A heart of darkness in the city of light – Sakai
Clifford 2007 Quai Branly in process – Sakai

Thu, 10/8: Sale of Cultural Property

Rights of ownership and transfer over cultural heritage
Case Study: Yup’ik object auctions
Case Study: Hopi object auctions
Readings
Warren 1999 A philosophical perspective on the ethics and resolution of
cultural property issues – Sakai
Hollowell 2004 Intellectual property protection and the market for Alaska
Native arts and crafts – Sakai
Allsop [CNN] 2011 Rare Eskimo shaman mask sells for record-breaking
 $2.5 million – Sakai
Museum Anthropology 2013 Commentaries on the April 2013 auction in
Paris, France – Sakai

Tue, 10/13: CLASS CANCELED – SEMC

Thu, 10/15: Who Owns the Past?

The past in the present
Creating and controlling historical narratives
Case Study: Confederate flag
Case Study: Native American mascots
Readings
Trouillot 1995 The power in the story – Sakai
WATCH: WFU Confederate Flag Panel 9/2/15 – archived livestream:
http://go.wfu.edu/flagevent
Roberts & Kytle 2012 Looking the thing in the face – Sakai
Black 2002 The “mascotting” of Native America – Sakai
Assignment
Object Study due at beginning of class period

Tue, 10/20: National Patrimony

Ownership of historical and archaeological artifacts
National heritage and national agendas
Case Study: Greece
Case Study: Israel
Readings
Kohl 1998 Nationalism and archaeology – Sakai
Sakellariadi 2008 Archaeology and museums in the nation building
process in Greece – Sakai
Romeo [NatGeo] 2015 Strapped for cash, some Greeks turn to ancient
source of wealth – Sakai
Abu El Haj 1998 Translating truths – Sakai
Estrin [Haaretz] 2015 Replacing carpet at Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock
sparks holy war over archaeology – Sakai

Thu, 10/22: NAGPRA

Social and political context of NAGPRA
NAGPRA and museums
Case Study: Eastern Band of Cherokees
Case Study: Kennewick Man
Readings
Nash & Colwell-Chanthaphonh 2010 NAGPRA after two decades – Sakai
National Park Service 1990 NAGPRA Summary and inventory overview
– Sakai
 National Park Service 1990 NAGPRA Determining cultural affiliation –
Sakai
Davis et al 1998 An Abbreviated NAGPRA Inventory of the North
Carolina Archaeological Collection – Sakai [DO NOT READ
ALL! Simply review the manuscript to get a sense of what a
NAGPRA summary looks like]
Riggs 2002 In the service of Native interests – Sakai
Bruning 2006 Complex legal legacies – Sakai

Tue, 10/27: Collaborative Museum Spaces

How can museums better engage?
Community museums
Case Study: South Africa
Case Study: Mexico
Readings
Gurian 1991 Noodling around with exhibition opportunities – EC Chapter
11
Boast 2011 Neocolonial collaboration – Sakai
Rassool 2006 Community museums, memory politics, and social
transformation in South Africa – Sakai
Camarena & Morales 2006 Community museums and global connections
– Sakai
Assignment
Choice of Term Paper topic due by end of class period

Thu, 10/29: Museum Visit #3: New Winston Museum

Community museums and representation
Museums plus space
Museums minus objects
Readings
Tardits 1997 The local community museum – Sakai
Gurian 1999 What is the object of this exercise? – Sakai

Tue, 11/3: Exhibiting Race

Reinforcing racial difference
Contesting racial difference
Case Study: World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893
Case Study: RACE: Are we so different?
Readings
Hinsley 1991 The world as marketplace – EC Chapter 18
Hodeir 2014 Human exhibitions at World’s Fairs – Sakai
Penn et al 2008 Review essay RACE: Are we so different? – Sakai
Museums & Social Issues 2007 Interview RACE: Are we so different? –
Sakai
WATCH: Virtual Tour of RACE: Are we so different? Exhibition –
http://www.understandingrace.org/about/virtour.html
 Assignment
Museum Review #3 due at beginning of class period

Thu, 11/5: Exhibiting Evolution

Applicability of evolution to humans and cultures
Case Study: Evolution and racism
Case Study: Evolution and creationism
Readings
Smith 2013 Agency and adaptation – Sakai
Scott 2007 Revisiting Victorian progress – Sakai
Diamond & Evans 2007 Museums teach evolution – Sakai
Asma [Chronicle] 2007 Dinosaurs on the ark – Sakai
Lynch 2013 Prepare to believe

Tue, 11/10 Exhibiting Senses

What is implied by the privileging of vision in museums?
Are other senses important?
Case Study: West and Central African art
Readings
Classen & Howes 2006 The museum as sensescape – Sakai
Candlin 2008 Museums, modernity and the class politics of touching –
Sakai
Stogner 2010 The media-enhanced museum experience – Sakai
Kasfir 1992 African art and authenticity – Sakai
Nooter 1993 Secrecy – Sakai

Thu, 11/12: Exhibiting Landscape

Environment as a form of cultural production
The concept of “cultural landscape”
Case Study: Savè Hills, Benin
Case Study: Sonoran Desert, USA
Readings
Rossler 2002 Linking nature and culture – Sakai
Fowler 2002 World heritage cultural landscapes, 1992-2002 – Sakai
Gurstelle 2012 Sacred trees of the Save hills cultural landscape – Sakai
Luke 1997 The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – Sakai

Tue, 11/17: Exhibiting War

Destruction and cultural heritage
Narratives about violence
Case Study: Vietnam War
Case Study: ISIS
Readings
Meskell 2002 Negative heritage and past mastering in archaeology – Sakai
Henderson 2000 War as a tourist attraction – Sakai
Schwenkel 2008 Exhibiting war, reconciling pasts – Sakai
 Zarandona [Conversation] 2015 Against ISIS’ Destruction of Heritage,
and for Curators as the Cure of Souls – Sakai
Assignment
Term Paper outline and bibliography due at beginning of class period

Thu, 11/19: CLASS CANCELED – AAA

Tue, 11/24: Student Presentations

Thu, 11/26: Student Presentations

Tue, 12/1: Student Presentations

Thu, 12/3: Student Presentations

Assignment
Term Paper due by 5:00pm on Friday, 12/4