On Tue, 27 Feb 1996, Eric Siegel wrote:

>    This thread gets weirder and weirder: are museums "agents of social
>    reproduction?" And if so, what does that mean?  And does this tie back
>    to the thread about sex in the diorama?
>
>    Eric Siegel
>    [log in to unmask]
>

"Museums are agents of social reproduction" means that museums aid in the
perpetuation of the social hierarchy, that the children of working-class
parents end up in working-class jobs while the children of upper-class
parents inherit their positions, as well.  Museums are avowed to transmit
knowledge that is useful for circulation within the uppermiddle strata,
and these places are made friendly to those who already "know" what to do
in a museum and are somewhat conversant with the traditions and fetishes
of academic (read "high") art.  Same applies to other kinds of museums,
but art museums are the most privileged bastions (perhaps I am thinking
of another word).

Your kinky habits in dioramas are none of my concern.

Richard Perry
UC San Diego
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