Creating typecasts

Exhibiting Eugenic Ideas From the Past Today

Bibliographic Data

ID5717877
AuthorsDavid Challis (0000-0003-3231-1586, Museum of London Archaeology, corresponding author), Debbie Challis
Year2013
Volume28
Issue1
Pages15-33
Publication date2013-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMuseum Management and Curatorship (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0964-7775 • E-ISSN: 1872-9185
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09647775.2012.754627
OpenAlexW1994682032
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited20

This paper reflects on the experience of curating the exhibition and events programme around Typecast: Flinders Petrie and Francis Galton at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, University College London during 2011. Typecast explored ideas around race and archaeology, heredity and eugenics in the early twentieth century. After independent consultation, I decided to write about the exhibition from my own perspective and publicly identify myself as curator. As part of my own response, I drew parallels with contemporary events and issues today. This paper incorporates a discussion of: \n \n•the implications of using my personal identity; how situations could have been handled differently, \n•the myth of neutrality, especially around contentious issues, within museum and media institutions, \n•anonymous responses from visitors and identified critical voices; ethical responsibility in dealing with provocative issues, \n•how wider discussion in a public realm was facilitated

Engineering ethics · Eugenics · Political science · Engineering · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Radio, Podcasts, and Digital Media

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