The Role of Today’s Museum provides a thorough investigation of what museums do and why. Arguing that museums are multifunctional institutions, the book examines the consequences of this for the services that museums provide, the publics to whom they are provided and the providers themselves.
Adopting a wide perspective on understandings of the roles of museums and considering the different environments within which museums operate, Gray and McCall provide a new perspective on how transformations, as well as the gaps between intended policies and the actual work that is undertaken within museums, can be both identified and understood. By differentiating between social, economic and political visions and expectations of museums, the analysis in this book allows for a fuller understanding of what these organisations do and provide for their societies and the struggles and negotiations that surround their existence.
The Role of Today’s Museum takes a critical, interdisciplinary approach to studying museums and museum policy. As a result, the book will be of interest to academics and students engaged in the study of museums, cultural policy, social policy, cultural sociology, public policy and cultural and political economy. Highlighting the gaps that exist between policy ideals and museum practices, the book also provides valuable insights to policy-makers and practitioners.
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduction
Understanding Museums
But What are Museums for?
The Structure of the Book
Chapter 2: What do Museums do? What are Museums for?
Introduction
Which Functions? Universal Description
Which Functions? Sources
Which Functions? Policy
Functions and Questions
Conclusions
Chapter 3: The Multifunctional Museum
Introduction
Museums and Complexity
Whose Functions?
Institutions, Practices, Arenas
Time, Organisation, Location: The Contextualisation of Museum Functions
Which Contexts?
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Museums, Policy, Practice and the ‘Struggle over Space’
Introduction
The Struggle Over ‘Space’ in the Museum
Symbolic Violence
Policy, the Policy Process and Museums
‘Top-down’ versus ‘Bottom-up’ Policy
Governance of Museums
Museums and Social Inclusion
Museums, Place, Regeneration and Urban Development
Conclusions
Chapter 5: Museums and Societies
Introduction
The Evolving Social Role of Museums in Society
The Social Role of the Museum in Society
Museums in the Field of Social Production
Building a Social Role for Museums within the ‘Game of Culture’
The Impact of the Social Role of the Museum
Community
Social Inclusion
Quality of Life and Wellbeing
Difficulties with Social Expectations in Museums
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Museums and Economies
Introduction
Economics and Museums
Economics and Museum Functions
Museums as the Source of Economic Value
Whose Value?
The Instrumental Museum?
Chapter 7: Museums and Politics
Introduction
Political Functions and Museums
Political Functions in the Museum
Political Functions of Museums
Political Functions about the Museum
Conclusion
Chapter 8: Conclusion
Introduction
Functions: The Museum as a Social Construction
Value: Societal, Social and Economic
Legitimacy
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Biography
Clive Gray is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies at the University of Warwick. He has previously published three books. He has published widely in public policy and administration, the politics of the arts and cultural policy, and on politics, management and policy-making in museums.
Vikki McCall is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Stirling with work focusing on bridging the gap between policy and practice. Dr McCall is Board Director for the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Parkhead Housing Association, alongside being a member of the Social Policy Association Executive Committee and Editorial Board member of Social Policy & Society.
