museology, law and decoloniality

on Cauê Donato and Ivonei Souza Trindade

Dates: July 15th, 22nd and 29th, August 05th and 12th
Mondays
Hour: 19h to 21h
Duration: 5 meetings
Audience: general interested parties
Investment: R $ 400,00

Online course
Live, via video conferencing platform
Recorded classes available for a limited time only
Includes certificate at the end

Based on reflections inspired by the book “Decolonize the museum: program of absolute disorder”, by Françoise Vergès, published by Editora Ubu, the course “Museology, Law and Decoloniality” investigates the viability of decolonial processes in museums in the light of legality, with emphasis on the interpretation of international treaties, recognizing this relationship as complex and multifaceted, permeated by issues of power, representation and social justice.

The growing movement to repatriate cultural assets to their origins, together with the questioning of museum definitions, plays a crucial role in promoting the decolonization of museum institutions. Although the intersection between Museology and Law is essential for this discussion, it is often not evident in publications in these areas.

Traditional Museology often reflects and perpetuates colonial perspectives, privileging Eurocentric narratives and silencing non-Western voices and perspectives. On the other hand, Law plays a significant role in the protection and management of cultural heritage, influencing whether processes reinforce or dismantle coloniality.

This course invites reflection on the intersection between Museology, Law and Decoloniality in the context of struggles for collective memory and representation in institutions. We recognize that this field is dynamic, presenting specific challenges and complexities in different contexts and policies. Therefore, interdisciplinarity is essential to move towards ethical and fair practices in the management of cultural heritage and the promotion of social justice.

The course is open to anyone interested in museology, law, history, cultural policies, decolonial theories, social activism and repatriation of cultural assets, and training in these areas is not necessary to follow the classes.

Agenda

Class 01 – Introductory Aspects of Museology and Public International Law

• Museology
• Concept of museum – epistemology of the word and relationship with our days
• Collecting and formation of museum collections
• Brief history of museum institutions
• Law of Treaties: concept of an international treaty
• Law of Treaties: principles of an international treaty

Class 02 – Heritage and Cultural Assets in the museum

• Heritage and Cultural Assets: concepts and their reflections both in Museology and in International Cultural Heritage Law
• Institutionalization of Historical and Cultural Heritage in the Museum: Brazilian panorama
• International Cultural Heritage Law: general notions, main international treaties on the topic; the return of cultural assets from a legal perspective

Class 03 – Case studies: repatriation in its legal aspects

• Jurisprudence on repatriation from international cases
• “Moai” – the internet as a vector of protest in the case of the Chilean people against the British Museum
• Brazil – Which/How many cultural heritage sites are looted? And where are they?

Class 04 – Case studies: Brazilian experiences

• Tupinambá Cloak – donation or return?
• Ubirajara Case (2023) – The Brazilian effort to recover looted items
• Machado Krahô (1987) – practice of internal decolonization
• The El Cristiano cannon – when Brazil acts as a colonizer

Class 05 – Sociomuseology and International Cultural Heritage Law as elements to decolonize the museum

• Typology of museums – Is there anything beyond universal museums?;
• Postmodern museology, initiatives from the turn of the 20th century to the 21st century
• Who makes the museum? Participation of new social actors in the decolonization of the museum
• Modern challenges in International Cultural Heritage Law

MAM friend has 20% discount. Be part!
Students, teachers and retirees have a 10% discount
Doubts:
cursos@mam.org.br
WhatsApp: 11 99774 3987

By participating in this activity/event, you authorize, free of charge and definitively, MAM – Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, to use your image, voice, biographical data and characteristic signs, captured in video, audio, photography and prints, for the purposes of recording, disseminating and promoting the Museum's activities, in any means, vehicles, supports, media, methods and technologies, tangible or intangible. If you do not want your image to be published, please inform MAM (cursos@mam.org.br). In some courses, classes that take place on the Zoom platform may be recorded and made available only to participants in those respective classes with an expiration date. The content of the recording is protected by copyright and access is permitted solely for study purposes and for the exclusive use of the participant, making it impossible to disclose or share with third parties.

credits