The book offers an interpretive approach to the Europeanization of heritage as found in museums. In order to make the analysis of museum diversity feasible, the research proposed and applied an analytical framework. Some general remarks conclude the work, which aims to map both the timeless and current phenomena of European identity construction.
1. Introductory remarks
A word on the title
Heritage and civilisation: the clash of narratives
In search of honest representation
Person in the universe of meanings
The museum triangle
2. On the approach
Interpretation instead of definite explanation
Reality, representation and serendipity
Object-based representation
Representation and reality
Geographical scope
Types of museums analysed
“Non museum” images and metaphors
3. European values in museums
The framework
Progress
Utility
Diversity
Dignity
Inclusion
Narrativity
Democratic Governance
4. On Progress
Progress: how civilisation tells its story
Museums in search of lost time
Historical time and mythical universality
Timelessness and traveling in time
Flow of time and progress
Wars and Progress
Conclusions
5. On utility
Initial remarks
Lights in the darkness
Our daily Fiat
Military history
Pennies from heaven
Can museums teach good taste?
Public utility
From temples to agoras
6. On diversity
Valorising the difference
The city and its people
On the road (never) again
Unique by interpretation
The diversification of visitor experiences
Diversity in public service
Conclusions
7. On dignity
A task and a potential
The right to have one’s story told
The Fall of Icarus
The ultimate denial of human dignity
A plait with a red ribbon
A head and a skull
8. On inclusion
Heritage and participation
Re-enactments and meetings
Being like someone from the past
LGBTQ as an inside “Other”
Women, children etc.
Conclusions
9. On narrativity
Heritage and narrativity
Stories and reality
Heritage as a discursive phenomenon
Object-based representation and story-based reality
A museum about me
Once upon a time
“It is forbidden to forbid”
The past as a symbolic resource
Ever after, here and now
Conclusions
10. On democratic governance
Beyond reality
A trap for moles
Medieval mosaic
Exercises of imagination
Interpretation in public service
All the same, all equal?
Democracy and the Holocaust
Conclusions
11. Final remarks
Bibliography
Series index