Key research themes
1. How did world fairs and international exhibitions shape imperial and national identities through the representation and staging of culture and power?
This theme investigates the role of world fairs and large-scale exhibitions as platforms for imperial and national self-representation from the nineteenth through mid-twentieth centuries. These events were pivotal in constructing and disseminating ideas of modernity, hierarchy, and identity by combining displays of technological progress, ethnographic showcases, and cultural diplomacy. Much research focuses on how exhibitions embodied imperial ambitions through displays of colonized peoples and goods, influenced urban transformations, and mediated knowledge production and social imaginaries. This theme matters as it elucidates how the politics of display intersected with colonial ideology, nationalism, and globalization, shaping collective memory and contemporary museum and exhibition practices.
2. How has the evolution of exhibition practices intersected with technological innovations and digital mediation to preserve and reinterpret temporary cultural heritage?
Recent investigations focus on the challenges and methodologies involved in preserving and presenting temporally limited exhibitions, particularly through virtual and digital means. Research explores the integration of 3D reconstruction technologies, virtual museums, and interactive platforms to extend the accessibility and longevity of ephemeral exhibitions, addressing issues of curatorial control, content volatility, and user engagement. This theme is significant as it combines heritage preservation, digital humanities, and museology, proposing actionable technological solutions to enhance exhibition legacy and democratize cultural consumption.
3. How have exhibitions historically mediated national and cultural identity narratives within contested or postcolonial contexts through curatorial strategies and visual discourses?
This theme explores how exhibitions act as mediating sites for negotiating national identity, memory, and cultural representation, especially in postcolonial or politically contested contexts. It investigates curatorial politics, inclusion/exclusion of communities, resistance to hegemonic narratives, and the strategic use of objects and spaces to construct or challenge historical understandings. This research is crucial for academics interested in exhibition studies, memory politics, and the role of museological practice in shaping contested histories and identities.