1st Edition

The Role of Today's Museum

By Clive Gray, Vikki McCall Copyright 2020
204 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

204 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

204 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

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... Read more

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.