Even in the questions that we choose to raise and the exhibits we choose to mount, do we reveal a commitment to one side of a "cultural contest" or another. Just a thought. --- "Terri McNichol, Ren Associates" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hello fellow listers, > > There is a review of Steven C. Dubin's book titled > "Displays of Power: > Controversies in the American Museum from the Enola > Gay to Sensation, > published by New York Univ. Press in the magazine > America. Tom O'Brien > is the reviewer and is formerly of the National > Endowment for the > Humanities and is now the managing editor of Arts > Education Policy > Review in Washington DC. > > One point the reviewer makes is that "in the > 'progressive' veiw Dubin > represents, museums are either 'crucibles of change' > or the 'pleasant > refuges' of the past. But why either/or? Why can't > museums eschew > predommitments to change or the status quo, and > simply be educational > institutions--raising questions, but not foreclosing > them with > prescribed answeres? Are the only options to hype or > ignore harsh > truths--in current lingo, either 'contestation' or > 'triumphalism'? Must > the culture wars, in short, become one vast episode > of 'Crossfire,' > featuring--'on the left'--half of our national > bipolar disorder and--'on > the right'--its idelogical twin." > > What say the listers regarding the above statement?! > > I have the review in hard copy, but if you want to > get an electronic > copy you can go to www.americapress.org and get a > copy for $1.50. > > Respectfully submitted by > > Terri McNichol > Museum Consultant > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may > obtain detailed information about the listserv > commands by sending a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the > message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one > line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] > . The body of the message should read "Signoff > Museum-L" (without the quotes). __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).