MIDAS – Museum Interdisciplinary Studies is launching a call for papers for issue 6 for publication in Autumn 2015. This issue will include a thematic dossier under the theme “Museums, Discourse and Power” with Paulo Simões Rodrigues (University of Évora), and Laurajane Smith (Australian National University) as guest editors.

All accepted articles will undergo a double peer-review. Articles should not exceed 6 000 words (without bibliography) or ca. 40 000 characters (with spaces). It must follow the classical structure of an academic paper. Articles should include abstract, keywords and the biography of the author(s). More information at: http://midas.revues.org/390?lang=en

Deadline: March 31st, 2015.
Send your text to: revistamidas@gmail.com


Museums, Discourse and Power

Throughout their History, museums have established discourses about the cultural significance of their collections through the selection, reception, classification, cataloguing, and exhibition of objects. These discourses were - and still are - determinant for the creation of collective memories as well as for establishing the ways in which societies deal with the past in the present. They also contribute actively to shape social, moral, political and ideological values. By doing so, museums were and are not only institutions of power but also instruments of power. With the theme “Museums, Discourse and Power”, we intend to gather and publish a group of articles about the relation between Museums and Power, and about the relevance of that relation in the past as well as for contemporary societies.
Themes Priority will be given to articles, which approach the theme according to the following topics:

  • Museums and Globalization;
  • Museums and Post-Colonialism;
  • Museums and National Identities;
  • Museums and Immigrations, Emigrations and Migrations;
  • Museums and Cultural and Heritage Politics;
  • Museums and Propaganda;
  • Museums and Education;
  • Museums and their Communities;
  • Museums from the Point of View of their Users (includes visitor studies, community, critiques, etc.);
  • Museums, Art and Historiography;
  • Museums, Art and Gender;
  • Museums and Patronage;
  • Museums and Communication;
  • Museums and Technology.