THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM: ANTHROPOLOGY AND MUSEUM PRACTICES AT WORK

This work focuses on the use of anthropological and museum theory, methods and practices in the development and construction of a museum. It also illustrates how museums can be used as active research sites for anthropologists. This dissertation uses the Hotel Metropolitan Museum, a new African American museum in Paducah, Kentucky, as an example to demonstrate this research process. I approach this work as a museum professional and academic making a living outside the safety of the "Ivory Tower." I examine how the use of anthropological theories, case studies and methods can be used to help independent consultants understand interpersonal interaction/communication, community development and political structure. Also, I examine how these theories and methods can be applied and/or modified to construct situations that result in outcomes beneficial to the consultant and to the group for which s/he is working.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Only Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Anthropology

Year

2012

Author dc:creator

• Hernandez, Michael David

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sutton, David
• Bachman, Dona

• African-American
• Cultural Anthropology
• Hotel Metropolitan
• Material Culture
• Museum
• Paducah

Repository record dc:identifier

https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/523

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-1524