Note: I am a Ballarat resident of Wathaurong descent. It should be acknowledged that because of m... more Note: I am a Ballarat resident of Wathaurong descent. It should be acknowledged that because of my family history and lived experience, subconscious biases may arise in my work. Select an example of colonial art and examine in relation to representation, memory and the stories of Australia's colonial history and treatment of Indigenous peoples " " The concept of " historical memory, " often expressed as " collective memory, " " social memory, " or for political scientists, " the politics of memory, " refers to the ways in which groups, collectivities, and nations construct and identify with particular narratives about historical periods or events. Historical memories are foundational to social and political
With reference to ownership, repatriation and authenticity, what are some of the main moral and e... more With reference to ownership, repatriation and authenticity, what are some of the main moral and ethical dilemmas facing archaeologists and museums dealing with Egyptian and Near Eastern artefacts and monuments today, and how does ongoing conflict and instability affect current considerations? In the words of fictional Archaeologist Indiana Jones, " It belongs in a museum! " But in whose museum does it belong? Traditionally, the great museums of the world have claimed the most significant artefacts, such as the British Museum and the Louvre, within whose confines rest prizes such as the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone. But in modern times the development of distinct national cultural identities has led to the growth of restitution movements; acknowledging that many of these artefacts found their way to Western museums via processes of colonialism, such as the Egyptology craze under French and British occupation throughout the 19 th and 20 th century. Conversely, political instability in the Middle East has led to the destruction and looting of many significant antique sites and artefacts. Archaeologists are therefore presented with an ethical dilemma: What are the responsibilities of Western archaeologists and museums? What are the rights of developing nations to tell their own history? And in the face of conflict, looting and destruction, does the need to protect these antiquities outweigh the rights to restitution of these developing nations?
Note: I am a Ballarat resident of Wathaurong descent. It should be acknowledged that because of m... more Note: I am a Ballarat resident of Wathaurong descent. It should be acknowledged that because of my family history and lived experience, subconscious biases may arise in my work. Select an example of colonial art and examine in relation to representation, memory and the stories of Australia's colonial history and treatment of Indigenous peoples " " The concept of " historical memory, " often expressed as " collective memory, " " social memory, " or for political scientists, " the politics of memory, " refers to the ways in which groups, collectivities, and nations construct and identify with particular narratives about historical periods or events. Historical memories are foundational to social and political
With reference to ownership, repatriation and authenticity, what are some of the main moral and e... more With reference to ownership, repatriation and authenticity, what are some of the main moral and ethical dilemmas facing archaeologists and museums dealing with Egyptian and Near Eastern artefacts and monuments today, and how does ongoing conflict and instability affect current considerations? In the words of fictional Archaeologist Indiana Jones, " It belongs in a museum! " But in whose museum does it belong? Traditionally, the great museums of the world have claimed the most significant artefacts, such as the British Museum and the Louvre, within whose confines rest prizes such as the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone. But in modern times the development of distinct national cultural identities has led to the growth of restitution movements; acknowledging that many of these artefacts found their way to Western museums via processes of colonialism, such as the Egyptology craze under French and British occupation throughout the 19 th and 20 th century. Conversely, political instability in the Middle East has led to the destruction and looting of many significant antique sites and artefacts. Archaeologists are therefore presented with an ethical dilemma: What are the responsibilities of Western archaeologists and museums? What are the rights of developing nations to tell their own history? And in the face of conflict, looting and destruction, does the need to protect these antiquities outweigh the rights to restitution of these developing nations?
Uploads
Papers by Patrick Mercer
Drafts by Patrick Mercer