Richard Harker, PhD Student, Georgia State University
Proposal Type: Panel
Seeking: Additional Presenters,General Feedback and Interest
Abstract: A quarter century after Michael Frisch’s pioneered the idea of “a shared authority” and advocated for the de-centering of historical authority; public historians have wrestled with the tensions inherent in opening up the production and interpretation of the past to the public. This is especially true in cases where national histories are challenged or complicated. This panel will explore varied case studies that have wrestled with the tensions, challenges, and implications of “a shared authority”–especially in challenging national histories. And ask how useful and relevant Frisch’s term remains over a quarter of a century later and what other paradigms might help to further public history theory and practice.
Seeking: My research focuses on the intersection of public history and cultural diplomacy–through the Museums Connect program–and considers how one of the central paradigms of public history theory and practice (ideas of a shared authority) stands up when wrapped up in State Department diplomacy goals. I’d love to connect with colleagues exploring ideas of community collaboration and public engagement that critically challenges official, national, of state-sponsored histories. What are the challenges, successes, lessons-learned, and theoretical and practical implications of this work? How do these projects impact our understanding of “a shared authority”?
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to share contact information for other people the proposer should reach out to, please get in contact directly: Richard Harker,rharker[at]kennesaw.edu
If you have general ideas or feedback to share please feel free to use the comments feature below.
All feedback, and offers of assistance, should be submitted by July 3, 2015.
Related Topics: Museums/Exhibits, Oral History, Theory
Richard,
I think this is a fantastically timed panel and the NCPH in Baltimore is as you say a great place to have this conversation especially in light of national institutions such as the NPS and Smithsonian. I would think about proposing that the panel focus on examples of shared authority in this context. I think this might make for a really good working group where you have both models of shared authority but also “failures” of shared authority.
-Mattea