Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik

Zentralinstitut der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

CARMAH

CARMAH – the Centre for Anthropological Research on Museums and Heritage – was established in 2015 by Sharon Macdonald as part of her Alexander von Humboldt Professorship, which ran until 2022. After over seven years of being home to many excellent projects and researchers, funded by various organizations, from 2024 CARMAH ceased to act as host for new research or activities. Its legacy, however, lives on in continuing work by many of its former members and through its achievements. Its aim was to deepen understanding of the dynamics and potentials of museums and heritage in the contemporary world. Through in-depth research, it looked globally to identify and analyze the significant social, cultural and political developments facing museums and heritage. By doing so, it posed new methodological and epistemological questions, and developed tools to promote effective, reflexive exhibitionary practice.

Central themes of CARMAH’s research programme were diversities and difference, citizenship and knowledge formation/exchange, media and material culture. These included questions of social recognition, audience, collections, cultural property, power relations, communication and public culture. Further information about CARMAH’s activities and outputs can be found here on the CARMAH website

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