Bridges and Boundaries: Reframing Professional Education for Museums + Heritage?
13-15 September 2012
Amsterdam, Netherlands | Reinwardt Academy for Cultural Heritage
ICTOP, the ICOM International Committee for the Training of Personnel invites papers for the ICTOP annual conference
This international meeting will focus on the theme of “Bridges and Boundaries: Reframing Professional Education for Museums + Heritage?” We invite proposals for paper presentations of 15 minutes, multi-paper panels, virtual papers by video or other modes of communication, which analyse current and emerging issues in the field of museum professional development.
Presentations should examine how professional development education is or is not shifting from a variety of global perspectives and the implications for the conceptualization of our museums/heritage sector and professional preparation. As an interdisciplinary field, museology/museum studies crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought, especially as new needs, emphases and professions emerge. This leaves the boundaries of our profession, its study and delivery unclear at best. But then where and when do we identify new fields for naming our offerings? In some parts of the world, for example, museum studies/museology programs have been extended to include heritage studies in their title or content. The broader term ‘heritage’ may seem like a solution to our vague definitions of the ‘museum’ but does the term ─ and its field ‘heritage studies’ ─ bring more problems than it solves? Presenters may address how prevalent (or not) this trend is across continents or speak to specific case studies as we reflect on the general implications for the field, other programs and the development of curriculum/a?
Is there a genuine shift in concepts and the profession or a pragmatic move that responds to governmental policy and job opportunities?
What are the challenges for museology programmes, or other developers, in adopting wider definitions such as that of heritage?
Are there other tendencies in our pedagogy representing either the voices of traditional or new disciplines ─ such as cultural studies, management, curatorial studies, gallery studies, informatics ─ or emerging topics or issues ─ such as development, sustainability, inclusion, career planning and employability ─ that are compelling changes?
Where is the profession in this discussion?
What guidelines or competencies might be needed in this complex situation?
What are the challenges for museology programmes, or other developers, in adopting wider definitions such as that of heritage?
Are there other tendencies in our pedagogy representing either the voices of traditional or new disciplines ─ such as cultural studies, management, curatorial studies, gallery studies, informatics ─ or emerging topics or issues ─ such as development, sustainability, inclusion, career planning and employability ─ that are compelling changes?
Where is the profession in this discussion?
What guidelines or competencies might be needed in this complex situation?
Submit:
- Paper presentations (long and short form)
- Posters
- Panels
- Videos or Alternative media, multimedia
- Workshops etc.
(Proposal deadline April 15, 2012)
Proposals for papers, posters, panels, etc. should include
- Title
- a 150 word abstract due April 15, 2012
- All papers and presentations should attempt to present a critical reflection on their research, observations, case.
- Workshops– indicate level, length, targeted attendees and pre-requisites
Submission deadlines April 15, 2012
Submit to ictop2012@gmail.com