Focusing on the representation of Indigenous human rights at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this study examines how museums can represent, educate, and advocate for Indigenous human rights. The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out at the museum in July 2019 and the literature on anthropology and human rights, decolonizing museum practices, and museums as spaces for human rights dialogue. The study shows how museums can change their history of racist and inaccurate representation of Indigenous people. Through extensive and “deep collaboration” between Indigenous partners and museum staff, Indigenous culture, history, and rights can be portrayed more accurately, ethically, and meaningfully. CMHR staff work closely with Indigenous partners to present personal accounts of Indigenous rights struggles and experiences as part of Canadian shared history. The thesis provides a case study of possible approaches to the representation of Indigenous human rights in museums.
","abstract_html":"<p>Focusing on the representation of Indigenous human rights at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this study examines how museums can represent, educate, and advocate for Indigenous human rights. The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out at the museum in July 2019 and the literature on anthropology and human rights, decolonizing museum practices, and museums as spaces for human rights dialogue. The study shows how museums can change their history of racist and inaccurate representation of Indigenous people. Through extensive and “deep collaboration” between Indigenous partners and museum staff, Indigenous culture, history, and rights can be portrayed more accurately, ethically, and meaningfully. CMHR staff work closely with Indigenous partners to present personal accounts of Indigenous rights struggles and experiences as part of Canadian shared history. The thesis provides a case study of possible approaches to the representation of Indigenous human rights in museums.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Dillard, Madison Caroline"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A.","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Christina F. Kreps","Tamra d'Estree","Alejandro Cerón"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z","subjects":["Anthropology","Decolonization","Human rights","Indigenous rights","Museums","Indigenous Studies","Museum Studies","Social and Cultural Anthropology"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1753","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Christina F. Kreps","Tamra d'Estree","Alejandro Cerón"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Dillard, Madison Caroline"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-02-12T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Anthropology","Decolonization","Human rights","Indigenous rights","Museums","Indigenous Studies","Museum Studies","Social and Cultural Anthropology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1753"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Focusing on the representation of Indigenous human rights at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this study examines how museums can represent, educate, and advocate for Indigenous human rights. The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out at the museum in July 2019 and the literature on anthropology and human rights, decolonizing museum practices, and museums as spaces for human rights dialogue. The study shows how museums can change their history of racist and inaccurate representation of Indigenous people. Through extensive and “deep collaboration” between Indigenous partners and museum staff, Indigenous culture, history, and rights can be portrayed more accurately, ethically, and meaningfully. CMHR staff work closely with Indigenous partners to present personal accounts of Indigenous rights struggles and experiences as part of Canadian shared history. The thesis provides a case study of possible approaches to the representation of Indigenous human rights in museums.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Behind the Exhibit: Exploring the Processes of Indigenous Rights Representation at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Christina F. Kreps","Tamra d'Estree","Alejandro Cerón"],"dc:creator":["Dillard, Madison Caroline"],"dc:date.available":["2021-02-12T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Focusing on the representation of Indigenous human rights at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this study examines how museums can represent, educate, and advocate for Indigenous human rights. The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out at the museum in July 2019 and the literature on anthropology and human rights, decolonizing museum practices, and museums as spaces for human rights dialogue. The study shows how museums can change their history of racist and inaccurate representation of Indigenous people. Through extensive and “deep collaboration” between Indigenous partners and museum staff, Indigenous culture, history, and rights can be portrayed more accurately, ethically, and meaningfully. CMHR staff work closely with Indigenous partners to present personal accounts of Indigenous rights struggles and experiences as part of Canadian shared history. The thesis provides a case study of possible approaches to the representation of Indigenous human rights in museums.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1753"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Anthropology","Decolonization","Human rights","Indigenous rights","Museums","Indigenous Studies","Museum Studies","Social and Cultural Anthropology"],"dc:title":["Behind the Exhibit: Exploring the Processes of Indigenous Rights Representation at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z"}