Museums and minority communities in Vietnam: Diversity, development, and politics in Southeast Asia
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: School of Arts
Abstract
The relationship between museums and their communities has become one of the
major subjects in museum studies and museum practice nowadays, resulting in a
growing scholarly interest in the social functions of museums in the social life of
communities, especially regarding education and community development (i.e.
Golding & Modest, 2013; Iorio & Wall, 2011; Levin & Adair, 2017; Palumbo, 2001;
Silverman, 2014). Museums have been viewed as social institutions (Silverman,
2014), attractions (Iorio & Wall, 2011), and social agents (Palumbo, 2001) that
reflect the socio-cultural life of local communities, including conflicts and political
issues and present local and global knowledge, including cultural values, to the
public.
In the current globalization context, ethnic minority groups face many challenges in
preserving their traditional cultural values, especially under the influence of
acculturation and lifestyle change. This is especially evident in developing countries,
including those in Southeast Asia, a multicultural and multiracial region. This
context requires museums, which are considered as "contact zones" (Clifford, 2005)
to show and affirm more strongly their role in preserving culture in general and
connecting and preserving the culture of minority and ethnic groups in particular.
This research will focus on the relation between museums and minority communities
in Vietnam, a country with 54 ethnic groups. Although there are many studies on
museums and communities, most research has been based on case studies in Western
countries while museum systems in Asian countries are given less attraction. Much
research on Vietnamese museums tends to assume the authoritarian nature of
museums (Tai 1998). This research project aims to fill the gap in the literature for
museums in Southeast Asia while providing an in-depth analysis of the social role
of the museum in supporting the cultural values of minority groups. This is also an
important research project in exploring how museums with different management
mechanisms and forms of governance (state, city, and private) introduce, preserve,
and connect to ethnic minorities - their source community.
major subjects in museum studies and museum practice nowadays, resulting in a
growing scholarly interest in the social functions of museums in the social life of
communities, especially regarding education and community development (i.e.
Golding & Modest, 2013; Iorio & Wall, 2011; Levin & Adair, 2017; Palumbo, 2001;
Silverman, 2014). Museums have been viewed as social institutions (Silverman,
2014), attractions (Iorio & Wall, 2011), and social agents (Palumbo, 2001) that
reflect the socio-cultural life of local communities, including conflicts and political
issues and present local and global knowledge, including cultural values, to the
public.
In the current globalization context, ethnic minority groups face many challenges in
preserving their traditional cultural values, especially under the influence of
acculturation and lifestyle change. This is especially evident in developing countries,
including those in Southeast Asia, a multicultural and multiracial region. This
context requires museums, which are considered as "contact zones" (Clifford, 2005)
to show and affirm more strongly their role in preserving culture in general and
connecting and preserving the culture of minority and ethnic groups in particular.
This research will focus on the relation between museums and minority communities
in Vietnam, a country with 54 ethnic groups. Although there are many studies on
museums and communities, most research has been based on case studies in Western
countries while museum systems in Asian countries are given less attraction. Much
research on Vietnamese museums tends to assume the authoritarian nature of
museums (Tai 1998). This research project aims to fill the gap in the literature for
museums in Southeast Asia while providing an in-depth analysis of the social role
of the museum in supporting the cultural values of minority groups. This is also an
important research project in exploring how museums with different management
mechanisms and forms of governance (state, city, and private) introduce, preserve,
and connect to ethnic minorities - their source community.
