Public History in a Divided Nation: Promise and Pitfalls of Interpretation

This talk will center on the concepts of neutrality, authority, and activism, three ideas central to wrestling with the nature of public history and the obligations of the public historian in a time of political divide.

It will explore how the nature of the historical project, arguably subjective, already political, and always partial, potentially weakens the claims of historians looking to bring marginalized histories into public focus.

Dr Laura Schiavo is Associate Professor of Museum Studies and Deputy Director of the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design at George Washington University. Her current research looks at the contemporary work of US museums in the field of civic engagement and the historic roots of that commitment. She has been published in the areas of visual culture, museums and diversity, and museums and identity, as well as contributing book and exhibition reviews to national publications. Professor Schiavo is currently working on an initiative to address the vital issue of the role of Museum Studies programs in the lack of racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity in the museum profession.

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Host or Publisher Centre for Public History, Queen's University Belfast