Author Description

This volume focuses on the question of the current societal responsibility of museums and the political expectations placed on them. As public cultural institutions, museums are an essential part of the political system, while at the same time artistic freedom is anchored in the German Basic Law. How do museums and politics deal with this contradiction? Contributions from the perspectives of political science and political practice provide an introduction to the theme, and the subsequent art-historical case analyses refer back to them, thus making the concept of the museum as a political institution more comprehensible. Contributions from a Black perspective not only present counter-discourses to the white-dominated field of discussion, but also raise the issue of unease in museums. Thus, the volume discusses the significance of the classic functions of museums today, the authenticity of objects in the light of the advance of new media in museums and internet exhibitions, as well as the demands for the return of art treasures looted during colonial and National Socialist occupation that found their way into German museums. The central question is: Can a museum, as a political institution, be a place of representation for all population groups?