Course Learning Objectives

In This Class We Will:

• Apply a fuller understanding of the historical development & social construction of art museums as cultural institutions in service to global colonization & the construction & maintenance of whiteness.
• Identify traditional museum practices that are rooted in racist thinking & colonial & imperialist histories.
• Approach collections, exhibition development, & overall museum programming with a critical lens that engages audiences ethically & equitably.
• Develop and articulate your own unique professional practice.
• Engage with communities through curatorial approaches that center collective care & social & racial equity.

Content Disclaimer

This course includes primary documents, some of which contain offensive language and/or ideas, incidents of violence, racism, and sexual impropriety. I expect you to approach these materials, which I chose very carefully and with a specific purpose in mind, in an appropriate academic manner. Learning to deal with such matters with critical thinking and respect for diversity of views is an important skill; however, if you think you will be uncomfortable reading, viewing, and discussing this material please think carefully about your enrolling in this course. Once this course begins, you will be responsible for all the assigned readings and online viewing.

Required Texts

There are no required texts for this class. All readings are posted within each lesson module.



Course Expectations

Participation in Discussions: Your participation in class discussions is crucial to our success as a community. In assessing your class participation, I will be looking at the quality rather than the quantity of your contribution. A good contribution might be an insightful question, a point relating that week’s conversation to something covered earlier, or a thoughtful analysis of what you have read. Good comments build on class discussion, evidence that you have been listening to your classmates. A less helpful contribution restates what has already been said in class or in readings. Good contributions reflect good listening, and the person who dominates class discussions is not doing enough listening, nor leaving room for others’ contributions. If you are shy about leaving comments on the discussion boards, please talk with me right away.

Readings: I expect you to read all the assigned readings. I have carefully chosen them to provide you with the information you need to participate in class discussions and to expand your professional practice. If you have questions or opinions about the readings, please take the initiative and bring them up in discussions.

Requests for Extensions: Must be submitted in writing (email is fine), approved, and confirmed by the instructor.

Policy on Sharing: This course is designed for everyone to feel comfortable participating in discussion, asking questions, learning, and facilitating the learning of others. It is against community policy for anyone to share any content made available in this course including course syllabi, reading materials, problems sets, videos, handouts, and exams with anyone outside of the course without the express permission of the instructor. This especially includes any posting or sharing of videos or other recordings on publicly accessible websites or forums. Any such sharing or posting could violate copyright law or law that protects the integrity of intellectual property.

Learning Activities

You are required to complete a variety of weekly learning activities designed to promote understanding of the themes and topics covered each week. These activities may include:

• Readings: assigned to help you understand the ways in which art museums (along with zoos, botanical gardens, and natural history museums) developed as cultural institutions in service to global colonization and the construction and maintenance of whiteness and the various ways that BIPOC artists and curators combat this reality.
• Quizzes: designed to assess your retention of key terms, concepts, and authors' primary arguments
• Discussions: designed to promote dialogue among you and your peers about what you are learning
• Assignments: designed for you to think and reflect on what you're learning, how you're learning, and the significance of what you're learning