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Unit of study_
MUSM7035: Ethics of Cultural Property
2025 unit information
This unit tracks the ethical and political disputes surrounding the ownership, control and care of cultural property. It begins by establishing historical attitudes towards cultural property which are then compared to current attempts to protect cultural heritage and regulate its movement. In doing so it considers how, more recently, museums have entered into dialogues with source communities about restitution and repatriation, new methods of display and ongoing relationships. The unit analyses numerous Australian and international case studies in order to define current models of best practice.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Art History |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Understand the concepts and practices of the ethics and politics surrounding cultural property
- LO2. Understand the politics of domestic and international museum practice regarding cultural property
- LO3. Understand the current issues affecting museums, such as ownership, repatriation of material culture and human remains
- LO4. Have developed a body of knowledge about the history of the museum and contemporary debates in museology
- LO5. Examine the relationship between museums and indigenous groups.
- LO6. Identify, access, organise and communicate knowledge in both written and oral English
- LO7. Appreciate the requirements and characteristics of scholarship and research
- LO8. Adopt a problem solving approach
- LO9. Be capable of rigorous and independent thinking
- LO10. Use information technology for professional and personal development
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