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Hi Amy,

The following conference paper might be relevant:

***International research project on contentious topics
Topics of global importance that challenge, upset, intrigue and attract
are becoming legitimate areas for exhibitions and programs of museums
and science centres. The long-established practice of exhibiting 'the
facts' or unproblematic conceptions of science and technology is no
longer wholly sustainable at a time when the self-evidence of these
topics are under question. At the ASPAC Conference held in Perth,
Western Australia during May 2006, Dr Fiona Cameron, Research Fellow at
the Centre for Cultural Research at the University of Western Sydney in
Australia, gave a presentation on the potential roles and positioning of
museums and science centres around contentious topics and sensitive
issues, drawing on qualitative and quantitative audience research
findings from the international research project "Exhibitions as
Contested Sites: The Roles of Museums in Contemporary Society".

http://www.aspacnet.org/apec/case_studies/_pdfs/cameron_aspac.pdf



Michael Van Tiel
Education & Visitor Services
Powerhouse Museum
Phone: (02) 9217 0314
Fax: (02) 9217 0441
Street Address: 500 Harris Street, ULTIMO, NSW, 2007
Postal Address: PO Box K346, HAYMARKET, NSW, 1238
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com


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