Exposing the Predator, Recognising the Prey: New institutional strategies for a reflexive museology

Abstract

Since the late 80s ethnographic and world culture(s) museums have been criticized for their predatory and cannibalistic nature. This has led to “a new post-colonial museology” or a “post-ethnographic” era. Consequently, new institutional strategies have been adopted across Europe and Western countries in order to go beyond the ethnographic approach. These structural transformations aim at eliminating or, on the contrary, critically exposing the predatory history of collections. European institutions and international organisations such as UNESCO and ICOM, through the development of international norms on cultural diversity and on the return of cultural property, have played a fundamental role in influencing museum policies. Following an interdisciplinary approach and through case studies in Europe, this article analyses different institutional strategies for a reflexive museology and suggests a new museological category for ethnographic museums.