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Elective: Shaping Culture: Museums and International Exhibitions

Vak
2014-2015

Admission requirements

This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies who have succesfully completed the second year elective course.
The number of participants is limited to 25.

Description

Museums are powerful and influential institutions in their ability to shape knowledge and encourage (or discourage) international discourse through their collections and exhibitions. In this course we will examine how museums and international exhibitions contribute to our identity and cultural memory in a globalized world. We will study the politics and ethics of museum practice and the chances and controversies that arise from the museum’s activities for international relations. Furthermore, World Fairs and other important international exhibitions such as Art Biennales and Documenta shall be analyzed. What are their roles in shaping identities and bridging differences?

Course objectives

The elective courses for International Studies are designed to teach students how to deal with state-of-the-art literature and research questions. They are chosen to enhance the students’ learning experience by building on the interdisciplinary perspectives they have developed so far, and to introduce them to the art of academic research. They are characterised by an international or comparative approach.

Academic skills that are trained include:

Oral presentation skills:
1. to explain clear and substantiated research results;
2. to provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course
a. in the form of a clear and well-structured oral presentation;
b. in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria;
c. using up-to-date presentation techniques;
d. aimed at a specific audience;
3. to actively participate in a discussion following the presentation.

Collaboration skills:
1. to be socio-communicative in collaborative situations;
2. to provide and receive constructive criticism, and incorporate justified criticism by revising one’s own position;
3. adhere to agreed schedules and priorities.

Basic research skills, including heuristic skills:
1. to collect and select academic literature using traditional and digital methods and techniques;
2. to analyze and assess this literature with regard to quality and reliability;
3. to formulate on this basis a sound research question;
4. to design under supervision a research plan of limited scope, and implement it using the methods and techniques that are appropriate within the discipline involved;
5. to formulate a substantiated conclusion.

Written presentation skills:
1. to explain clear and substantiated research results;
2. to provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course
a. in the form of a clear and well-structured written presentation;
b. in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria;
c. using relevant illustration or multimedia techniques;
d. aimed at a specific audience.

Timetable

The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website.

Mode of instruction

Lecture, seminar style discussion and supervised research.

Course Load

Total course load for the course: 10 × 28 hours= 280 EC, broken down by:

  • Hours spent on attending lectures and seminars: 2 hours per week x 12 weeks = 24 hours

  • Time for studying the compulsory literature and completing assignments: 8 hours per week x 12 weeks = 96 hours

  • Time to write a paper (including reading / research): 16 hours per week x 10 weeks = 160 hours

Assessment method

Weekly assignments, short oral presentations and a final paper of approx. 4-6,000 words (excluding tables and bibliography).

Note: The maximum possible grade to be obtained for re-submission of the final essay is a 6.0

Blackboard

Blackboard will be used. For tutorial groups: please enroll in blackboard after your enrollment in uSis

Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.

Reading list

To be announced on Blackboard

Registration

Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.

General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch

Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs

Not applicable.

Remarks

You will be expected to visit a number of museums and exhibitions during the course.

Contact

Dr. M.A. Leigh
Email m.a.leigh@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Tel.: +31 71 527 2653