Public History and Critical Museology: Rethinking African Cultural Property across the Globe.

Public history and critical museology are closely linked when it comes to challenging traditional narratives and emphasizing inclusivity, representation, and the ethical treatment of cultural heritage. This connection is especially important when examining European or North American museums that hold African cultural belongings, interrogating the colonial history of the museum landscape in Africa, and analyzing African visual and material culture in museums or from archaeological sites. This series of panels seeks to illuminate colonial histories and current efforts to reclaim cultural heritage, and to examine museums as key sites for historical accountability and transformative change. It discusses African cultural property across the globe, both on and beyond the African continent. The sessions approach these issues on micro-, meso- and macro-levels including case studies of individual cultural belongings, museum histories, discussions of colonial histories, critical approaches to archival materials, and/or new attempts regarding collaborative efforts, the role of community engagement, storytelling, sustainability, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. The series of panels discusses diverse media of public history and critical museology such as podcasts, blogs, digital humanities projects etc., and examines the role of individual disciplines such as archaeology and art history when reconceptualizing public history and critical museology as well as transdisciplinary approaches. It sheds new light on possible alliances and intersections between academic and artistic research, activism, journalism, and the role of the digital realm, focusing both on the past and present of museums and on joint initiatives for more inclusive and diverse museum futures.

Please send paper proposals with a 250-word abstract, short bio & contact info including your email address & phone contact to vera-simone.schulzleuphana.de and ababalolabritishmuseum by December 29. Proposals for in-person or online presentations are both welcome.

Lagos Studies Association Conference, June 17-21, 2025 (Lagos/online)

Concept and organization: Abidemi Babatunde Babalola and Vera-Simone Schulz