The two volumes of “Feminism and Museums” are edited by Jenna Ashton and published by MuseumsEtc. They include not only an article called “Women’s Museums: Hubs for Feminism” written by our coordinator Astrid Schönweger, but many insightful chapters of our member museums.
“Mention “feminism” outside of sociology or politics and you’re often met with an eye-roll or confusion. However, the hard reality is that females remain a highly oppressed group globally: deemed inferior, suffering from violence and slavery, and denied educational, economic and political opportunities.
In two volumes (each 600+ pages), Feminism and Museums explores how museums are responding to these wider socio-political challenges, in which they too play a part. In an unprecedented range, depth and variety of case studies and analyses these volumes present feminist actions, interventions and disruptions which are impacting the processes of collecting, learning, interpretation and engagement in today’s museums, galleries and heritage organisations.
In over 50 chapters, creative resistance by both high-profile galleries and grassroots activist collectives is presented, and issues of colour, disability, domestic abuse, indigenous rights, labour, land use, migration, pornography, rape, refugees, sexuality, sex-work, technology and work examined.
Feminism and Museums creates a space of creativity, conversation and confidence, of dialogue and new knowledge, building on the ambitious practice and perseverance of museum workers worldwide, and bringing together new voices, contexts and methodologies to both inform and inspire.”