Curating the Great War

The book explores how museums of the Great War are political entities that reflect the social and political context in which they exist. It examines how curating of the war has expanded beyond the walls of museum buildings and seeks public engagement. It also highlights that these museums are at the nexus of historiography, museology, anthropology, archaeology, sociology and politics, and are a lieux de mémoire.

Format: Hardback
Length: 342 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The book explores museums of the Great War as political entities, some more overtly than others, but all unable to escape from the politics of the war, its profound legacies, and its enduring memory. Their changing configurations and content are examined as reflections of the social and political context in which they exist. Curating the Great War has expanded beyond the walls of museum buildings, seeking public engagement, both direct and digital, and taking in whole landscapes. Recognizing this fact, the book examines these museums as standing at the nexus of historiography, museology, anthropology, archaeology, sociology, and politics, as well as being a lieu de mémoire. Their multi-vocal nature makes them a compelling subject for research, and the book highlights that it is in these museums that we see the most complete fusion of the material culture of conflict with its historical, political, and experiential context.

This book is an essential read for researchers of the reception of the Great War through material culture and museums.

Weight: 840g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032204338