PROPOSAL TYPE
Roundtable
SEEKING
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
RELATED TOPICS
- Social Justice
- Reflections on the Field
- Teaching and Training
ABSTRACT
My partner, John Marks, curator at Historic Geneva, and I will discuss lessons learned from an ongoing collaboration in which my Critical Museum Studies undergraduate class creates an exhibit for Historic Geneva, a small history museum. Our presentation will explore potential pitfalls and best practices for university-community collaborations within the current political landscape.
DESCRIPTION
We are seeking presenters willing to share their experiences working across the university and community divide during a time when both universities and historical organizations, such as museums, national parks, social justice nonprofits, and schools, face increased scrutiny. How has the heightened attention on public history influenced your approach to collaboration? How can we prepare our students for public history work in today’s political climate? What lessons have you learned? We welcome stories of successful collaborations but also encourage those who have faced challenges—such as projects that never materialized, tensions and conflicts between communities and universities, and administrative interference that affected the outcomes—to share their stories. As public historians working in a “blue” state and at a private college, we are particularly interested in practitioners undertaking this work in more conservative political environments and/or public institutions.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly:
Elizabeth Belanger, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, [email protected]
All feedback and offers of assistance should be sent by November 15, 2025. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.