Museums And The Public Sphere

Museums and the Public Sphere investigates the role of museums around the world as sites of democratic public space.
Explores the role of museums around the world as sites of public discourse and democracy
Examines the changing idea of the museum in relation to other public sites and spaces, including community cultural centers, public halls and the internet
Offers a sophisticated portrait of the public, and how it is realized, invoked, and understood in the museum context
Offers relevant case studies and discussions of how museums can engage with their publics' in more complex, productive ways

Jennifer Barrett is the Director of Museum Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia, and currently collaborates with the University of Hong Kong on a museum studies program to support developments in their museum sector. She is the editor, with Caroline Butler-Bowden, of Debating the City: An Anthology (2001).

“An elegant application of Habermas’ theory of the public sphere to museums, this book adds greatly to our understanding of the nature of public museums. The focus on the importance of spaciality and vision in the history of museums and public spaces is particularly enlightening.” Andrea Witcomb, Deakin University
“Barrett tackles head on the assumption that the museum is a public institution. She artfully unravels the many publics of contemporary museum talk – public space, public culture, public intellectual, public sphere. At last museum scholars and practitioners have a book that gives these terms historical specificity and theoretical precision. Museums and the public sphere is must read for any one who believes in museums, their relevance and their future.” Jane M. Jacobs, University of Edinburgh

List of Images.
Introduction.
1. The Public Sphere.
2. Historical Discourses of the Museum.
3. The Museum as Public Space.
4. Audience, Community, and Public.
5. The Museum as Public Intellectual.
Conclusion.
References.
Acknowledgments.
Index.