WWW.IPPR.ORG
StoriesOldandNew MigrationandidentityintheUK heritagesector AreportfortheMigrationMuseumWorkingGroup ByMaryStevens July2009 ©ippr2009
InstituteforPublicPolicyResearch Challengingideas– Changingpolicy
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Contents Aboutippr ............................................................................................................................. 3 AbouttheMigrationMuseumWorkingGroup ..................................................................... 3 Abouttheauthor................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... 4 1.AForgetfulNation?Changingtheconsensusonmigration............................................. 5 2.Whyshouldmigrationberepresentedintheheritagesector?..........................................8 3.ExistingmigrationinitiativesintheUKheritagesector.................................................. 13 4.Theinternationalcontext ................................................................................................ 27 5.Theinternationalexperience:implicationsfortheUK.................................................... 34 Appendix1.Keypublicationstohaveaddressedculturaldiversityintheheritagesector inthelastdecade ................................................................................................................ 36 Appendix2.Summarytableofinternationalheritageinitiatives........................................ 39 References ........................................................................................................................... 41
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Aboutippr TheInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch(ippr)istheUK’sleadingprogressivethinktank, producingcutting-edgeresearchandinnovativepolicyideasforajust,democraticand sustainableworld. Since1988,wehavebeenattheforefrontofprogressivedebateandpolicymakinginthe UK.Throughourindependentresearchandanalysiswedefinenewagendasforchangeand providepracticalsolutionstochallengesacrossthefullrangeofpublicpolicyissues. WithofficesinbothLondonandNewcastle,weensureouroutlookisasbroad-basedas possible,whileourinternationalandmigrationteamsandclimatechangeprogrammeextend ourpartnershipsandinfluencebeyondtheUK,givingusatrulyworld-classreputationfor highqualityresearch. ippr,30-32SouthamptonStreet,LondonWC2E7RA.Tel:+44(0)2074706100E:
[email protected] www.ippr.org.RegisteredCharityNo.800065 ThispaperwasfirstpublishedinJuly2009.©ippr2009
AbouttheMigrationMuseumWorkingGroup TheMigrationMuseumWorkingGroupwasformedinlate2006afterameetingheldatthe InstituteforPublicPolicyResearch(ippr)todiscusswhatmorecouldbedonetorepresent migrationissueswithintheUKmuseumandheritagesector.Itconsistsofthefollowing peoplewhoshareaninterestintheseissuesandapassionforseeingmigrationmore appropriatelyrepresentedinculturallifeintheUK:
• • • • • • • •
BarbaraRoche(Chair),formerUKMinisterforImmigration ZeldaBaveystock,NewcastleUniversity DrGarethGriffiths,DirectorofBritishEmpireandCommonwealthMuseum DrJillRutter,ippr DrDhananjayanSriskandarajah,formerlyippr,nowDirectoroftheRoyal CommonwealthSociety RatanVaswani,MuseumsAssociation IanWilson,NationalTrust RobertWinder,authorofBloodyForeigners
Membersoftheworkinggroupserveasprivateindividualsanddonotrepresentany organisations. TheworkinggroupwassupportedbytheBaringFoundation,NationalTrustandtheStone AshdownTrustwhosebackingallowedthecommissioningofindependentresearchonwhat alreadyexistsintermsofrepresentingmigrationwithintheUKmuseumandheritagesector, andonwhatmorecouldbedone. ThisresearchwasconductedbyDrMaryStevens,anexpertinthisfield.HerPhDthesisison theFrenchnationalmuseumofimmigration(Re-memberingtheNation:theProjectforthe Citénationaledel’histoiredel’immigration,UniversityofLondon,2008)andsheiscurrently apost-doctoralresearchassociateintheSchoolofLibrary,ArchiveandInformationStudies atUniversityCollegeLondon.DrStevens’sreport,publishedasacompaniontothis discussionpaper,looksatthemanyandvariouswaysthatmuseumsandotherinstitutionsin
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theUKandaroundtheworldhavecoveredmigration.Itisanexcellentcontributiontothe debateonthemeritsofmuseumsofmigration.Theworkinggrouphasdrawnonsomeof herideas.Anditisourhopethatwemaybeabletocommissionmoreresearchofthisnature inthefuture. ipprhasservedasthehubfortheworkinggroup.Thisreporthasalsobeendesignedand publishedbyippr,andtheworkinggroupisparticularlygratefultoGeorginaKyriacoufor overseeingthisprocess.
Abouttheauthor DrMaryStevensiscurrentlyapost-doctoralresearchassociateintheDepartmentof InformationStudiesatUniversityCollegeLondon.HerPhDthesisconcernstheFrench nationalmuseumofimmigration(Re-memberingtheNation:theProjectfortheCité nationaledel’histoiredel’immigration,UniversityofLondon,2008).
Acknowledgements Theauthorwouldparticularlyliketoacknowledgethesupportgiventoherinwritingthis reportbyZeldaBaveystock,EllenChapmanandJillRutter.ZeldaBaveystockdraftedthe sectiononTheAmericasandAustraliaandNewZealand,withhelpfromEllenChapman.Jill Rutterdraftedthe'educationalneed'section. ThesectionontheNetherlandswasbasedinlargepartonmaterialsubmittedtotheauthor byRenéeKistemaker,fromtheCulturalHeritageofMinorities(CultureelErfgoed Minderheden)project. Theauthoralsowishestothankthefollowingpeoplewhowereinterviewedaspartofher research: BarbaraRoche;JaniceCheddie,HeritageDiversityTaskForce;SusieSymes,Chairofthe Trustees,19PrinceletStreet;DavidFeldman,SchoolofHistory,ClassicsandArchaeology Birkbeck,UniversityofLondon;GarethGriffiths,Director,BritishEmpireandCommonwealth Museum;DonaldHenson,HeadofEducationandOutreach,CouncilforBritishArchaeology; JohnIveson,MuseumsandTourismManager,DoverMuseums;DavidMiles,Chief Archaeologist,EnglishHeritage;JaneSarre(Director)andthestaffoftheHackneyMuseum, HackneyMuseum;KarenBrookfield,DirectorofPolicy,HeritageLotteryFund;Rickie Burman,Director,JewishMuseumLondon;JonNewman,ArchivesManager,Lambeth Archives;MaureenRoberts,InterpretationOfficer,LondonMetropolitanArchives&Trustee, BlackCulturalArchives;SueWilkinson,DeputyChiefExecutive,MLA;EmilyCandler, MuseumofBritishHistoryProject,MLA;RatanVaswani,HeadofEvents,Museums Association;RuthClarke,CommunityLearningManagerforLondonProperties,AnneFinnie, DirectorofCommunity,Learning&Volunteering,AnnaRussell,(BirminghamProperty Manager,NationalTrust;RuthWilliams,WalesExternalAffairsManager/RheolwrMaterion AllanolCymru,NationalTrust(Wales);IanWilson,AreaManagerforLondon,NationalTrust; TristramHunt,DepartmentofHistory,QueenMary,UniversityofLondon;EsmePeach, RefugeeAwarenessProject,RefugeeAction;MichelynnLaflèche,Director,RunnymedeTrust; DavidTaylor,ProjectDevelopmentManager,ScottishEmigrationMuseum;KatePahl,School ofEducation,UniversityofSheffield;RichardAxelby,Research,MLAMuseumofBritish HistoryProject;KyleaLittle,KeeperofContemporaryCollecting,Tyne&WearMuseums; EithneNightingale,HeadofAccess,SocialInclusionandCommunityDevelopment,Victoria &AlbertMuseum.
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1.Aforgetfulnation?Changingtheconsensusonmigration ThehistoryofmigrationtoandfromtheBritishIslesisasoldastheislandsthemselves. However,thecommonunderstandingofthishistoryaspasseddownthroughtheeducation systemaswellasbymuseums,archivesandotherheritagesites,hasoftenglossedoveror ignoredthiscrucialaspectofourislandstory.Thereareunderstandablehistoricalreasonsfor this:attimes,thevisionofBritainasatightly-bondedself-sufficientplacehasbeen instrumentalinsecuringourcommondefence.Theperiodoftheemergenceofnational museumsinEuropecoincidedwiththeageofRomanticnationalism,andlater,theGreat Powerstrugglesoftheageofempire.Incapturingspecificnational‘genius’,thesenew institutionsdefinedthenationinoppositionbothtorivalsontheothersideoftheEnglish Channeland‘lessadvanced’peoplesacrosstheglobeandactedtogenerateandreinforcea politicallyusefulsenseofculturalandracialsuperiority(Kaplan1994,Simpson2001). Historiesofmigration,diasporaandculturalexchangedidnotfitthisvisionofBritain,andso theyweresilenced.Yet,forexample,therewereAfricanspresentinBritainwiththeRoman armylongbeforeanyofthepeopleswehavetraditionallybeenencouragedtothinkofas ‘English’(suchastheSaxons)arrived,andmanywillhavesettled(Fryer1984). Thecomposite,plural,constantlyevolvingnatureofthepopulationoftheBritishIslesis describedbyMarikaSherwood,founderoftheBlackandAsianStudiesAssociation(BASA) andSeniorResearchFellowattheInstituteofCommonwealthStudiesinarecentarticleon Britishidentityforthe‘Whodowethinkweare?’website.1 Asshepointsout,someonewho saystheyare‘English’or‘British’couldhaveancestorswhowereCelts,apeopleoriginally fromtheRussiansteppesorPicts,whooriginatedfromtheBlackSearegion.Afterthe Romansleft,Saxons,AnglesandJutesinvadedfromtheareathatistodayGermany.She writesoftheDanishconquestsintheeleventhcentury,followedbytheNormans,the Flemish,PlantagenetsfromAnjou,andsoon,continuingthisaccountuptothepresentday beforeconcludingwiththeprovocativequestion:‘whichoftheseancestriesdoyouclaim whenyousayyouare“British”?’(Sherwood2008). Itdoesnottakelongtorealisethatwhileourislandstatusmayhaveencouragedtheideaof the‘fortressbuiltbyNature’,populatedbyasingle‘happybreedofmen’,forthevast majorityofourhistorytheseahasactedlessasabarrierandmoreasahighwayanda bridge:‘theinhabitantsofthesemaritimecrossroadscouldreachoutintotheworldandthe worldcouldcometothem’(Miles2005:26).InthewordsofaformerCultureMinister, MargaretHodge,‘wehavetounderstandthattheessenceofourculturalidentityisnot fixedorimmutable–wehavealwaysbeenanopensociety,traditionalimportersand exportersoftalentandideas’(Hodge2008).Andtalentandideasrarelytravelalone,they arebornebypeople.‘Outsiders’havebeenbehindmanyofthemostsignificantinnovations intechnologyandsocietyinBritain(Woodetal 2006). Yetunlikemanyothercountriesmigrationisnotpartofournationalmythology;rarelydowe thinkofourselvesasanationofmigrants,howevermisguidedandcontradictorytheconcept ofthe‘true-bornEnglishman’maybe,asDanielDefoepointedoutin1700(Winder2004: 12).Migrationhistoryalsoremainsamarginaltopicforhistoricalresearch:ashistoriansKathy BurrellandPanikosPanayihavehighlighted,‘immigrationremainsneglectedinbothnational historyandpublicmemory’(BurrellandPanayi2006:16).Theconsequenceofourcollective forgetfulnesshasbeentoopenupaspaceforthestigmatisationofmorerecentmigrantsas
1.www.wdwtwa.org.uk/whatiswdwtwa.TheprojectfollowstherecentCurriculumReviewonDiversity andCitizenship,undertakenbySirKeithAjegbo.WhoDoWeThinkWeAre?isledbytheRoyal GeographicalSociety(withtheInstituteofBritishGeographers),HistoricalAssociationandCitizenship ConsultantPaulaKitchingandsupportedbytheDepartmentforChildren,SchoolsandFamilies.
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athreat,particularlythosewhose‘race’orethnicitymadetheirdifferencesvisible:athreatto lawandorder,tojobsecurityandabovealltosomeill-definedbutwidelyheldnotionof ‘Britishness’.Ifanything,attitudestowardsimmigrationhavehardenedinrecentyearswith morepeoplebelieving,perversely,thatimmigration‘closesBritainofftonewideasand cultures’(BBC2004). AsNickMerriman,formerlyacuratorattheMuseumofLondon(andnowtheDirectorof theManchesterMuseum)notedwhenconductingtheresearchfortheseminal‘Peoplingof London’exhibitionin1993: ‘Perusaloftherhetoricofracistgroupsmadeitclearthatmuchoftheir messagewaspredicatedonthenotionthat–inBritainatleast–there hadbeenahomogeneouswhitepopulationpriorto1945,bound togetherbyacommonhistoryandsetofvalues,andthatafter1945 thishomogeneityhadbeenoverlainbytheintroductionof–intheir terms–aliennon-whitepopulationswithdifferenthistories,valuesand culturalbackgroundswhodidnotbelongtoBritainandwerethe sourceofmanyofthenation’scurrentwoes.’(Merriman1997:121) Atthattimetheheritagesectordidlittletodispelthesemyths;nowhereintheMuseumof London’sdisplayswasthereevidenceofthemedievalJewishcommunity(anditssubsequent expulsionandreturn),thecontinuousblackpresencesincethesixteenthcentury,the establishmentofAsiancommunitiessincetheseventeenthcenturyandthesignificant populationsofChinese,ItalianandGermanorigininthenineteenthcentury.Thecultural heritageoftravellercommunities,thequintessentialmigrants,isalsoinvariablyabsentfrom therecords. Thesegapsmatter.Theymatterbecausetheyhavetheeffectoffosteringanexclusive, hierarchicalunderstandingofBritishidentity,inwhichasenseofentitlementisfeltbymany toderivefromnotionsaboutthelengthoftimeaparticulargroupmayhavebeenpresentin theseislands,notionsthatareoftenalignedwithrace.Theymattertooinaglobalisedworld, wherethereisagrowingneedforcollectivenarrativesthatprovideahistoricalframeworkfor today’sinterconnectednessandhelpustounderstandourplaceintheworld(Urry1996).To thinkabouttheBritishhistoryofimmigrationandemigrationistoengageprofoundlywith justwhatitmeanstobeBritish.Itisnottotackanewstoryontoanestablishedsetof agreedaccounts.Rather,itistorisetoProfessorStuartHall’schallengeto‘re-definethe nation’andre-imagine‘Britishness’itself‘inamoreprofoundlyinclusivemanner’(Hall1999: 10). Thisdoesnotmeanfindingwaystogrudginglyacknowledgethatrecentarrivalscanbe Britishtoo;itmeanslearningtothinkofeventhemostdeeply-rootedinhabitantsas,once, newarrivalsthemselves.Theideaofa‘profoundlyinclusive’heritagehasoftenbeentakenas synonymouswith(insomequartersincreasinglymaligned)policiesofmulticulturalism.But thisistomisunderstandtheopportunityoursharedheritageofmigrationrepresents; pluralising,butaboveallcomplicating,‘ourislandstory’is,asanotherformerCulture MinisterDavidLammyhaspointedout,awayofstakingoutmore,notless,commonground betweenthecontemporaryinhabitantsoftheseislands(Lammy2005). InadvocatingaconceptualshiftfromtheideaofBritainasislandfortresstoBritainasa globalcrossroadsouraimisnottosubstituteonemythforanother.Norisittosuggestthat allmigrationsacrossallhistoricalperiodsarereadilyorusefullycomparable.Therehavebeen periodsofgreaterpopulationstasis,justastherehavebeenperiodsofmoreflux.Theyears sincethefalloftheBerlinWallhaveseenparticularlyhighlevelsofmovementacross Europe’sborders,bothinternalandexternal(Feldman2008);indeeditisthepressingneed toadaptouroutmodedconceptsofcollectivebelongingbettertoaccommodatethese phenomenathatliesbehindthedesiretorevisitthedominanthistoricalnarrative.
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However,theintentionremainstoopenupBritain’shistorytoawiderrangeofinfluences andinterpretations,nottodictateaneworthodoxy.Ourintrospective‘islandstory’was monolithicandoppressiveofdifference;ouroutward-looking‘islandstories’shouldbe anythingbut.Andtheyshouldtroublenotionsof‘Britishness’,includingthenewerrevised versions,justasmuchastheyservetoshapethem.Heritage,likemigration,isprocess not product,the‘locusandinstrumentofundoingandredoinghistory’(Prakash2004:208),not itsimmutablematerialexpression.
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2.Whyshouldmigrationberepresentedintheheritagesector? Evenifweacceptthepremisethatmigrationdeservestoplayagreaterroleinthenational imagination,wemightneverthelessaskwhatitisabouttheheritagesectorthatequipsitto achievethisoutcome.WhilemuseumandgalleryattendanceintheUKisrelativelyhigh (41.5percentofalladultsattendedamuseumoragalleryin2006–7)manyadultsnever enterone(71.7percentofadultsinthe‘lowsocio-economic’prioritygroupdidnotvisita museumorgalleryinthesameyear)(Museums,LibrariesandArchivesCouncil[MLA]2008). However,museums,archivesandheritagesiteshaveanimpactthatextendsbeyondthe changestheycanmaketothelivesofindividualvisitors.Theysendoutstrongsignalsabout whatwevalueasanation.Theycanhelpfosterasenseofbelonging.Theyarealso, increasingly,spacesfordebate.Andtheydoallthesethingsnotbyreinventingthemselvesas agentsofsocialpolicybutbyreturningtotheircoreactivities:collectingandinterpretingthe materialtracesofourpast.
Heritageasmirror Theheritagesectorcarriesgreatsymbolicweight.Assuchitisapowerfulsourceofcultural meanings.Thechoiceswemakeindevelopingcollections,or,foranorganisationlikethe NationalTrust,inacquiringsites,determinewhoandwhatweseeasbelongingtoour nationalcommunityandreflectingourvalues(Hall1999).Inrecentyearswehaveseenhow anexpandingunderstandingofculturalheritagehasimpactedontheprioritiesofheritage organisations;theideathattheNationalTrustmightacquirepropertiessuchasthe nineteenthcenturyBack-to-BacksinBirminghamorthechildhoodhomeofJohnLennonin Liverpoolwouldhavebeenunthinkablenotsolongagosincepopularandworking-class culturedidnotusetobeconsidered‘culture’atall.Itfollowsthat,likepopularcultureand working-classlives,ourmigrationstoriesdeserveamoreprominentplaceinournational self-understandingandneedtobemorevisibleinourheritageinstitutions. Moreover,ourcollectivefailuretoengageinaninformedwaywithcontemporarymigration patternsderivesfromourignoranceaboutthisaspectofourhistory,theproductofa carefullyorchestratedamnesia.Whatisneededtoredressthisisaformof‘memorywork’,a newarchaeologyofourpasttorevealburiedmeanings.Becauseoftherichnessoftheir collections,museums,archivesandheritagesitesareideallyplacedtocarryoutthiswork.As themuseumanthropologistAnthonySheltonhasexplained,‘Inasocietythathas consistentlyfailedtocometotermswithitshistoricalrelationshipwithlessindustrialized societiesandthenatureofitsownculturalidentityinanewlyalignedEurope,museumsare inauniquepositiontoencouragepublicdebateaboutsuchissuessincetheyarethe custodiansofthefragmentaryevidencethatprovidesthegreatestcontradictionsto prejudicedmisconception’(citedinCoxall1997:115).Itisthesefragmentsthatneedtobe unearthedandheldupinthemirrorforalltosee. Undertakingmoreofthisworkmayrepresentashiftforsomeheritageorganisations,but inthelongrunnotdoingsorepresentsthegreaterrisk.Forwhenagrouporindividual’s heritageisignoredorovershadowedbythedominantnarratives–inotherwords,when theycannotseethemselvesreflectedanywhereinthemirror–thelong-termoutcome canbe‘disaffection,disillusionmentanddisenfranchisement’(MCAAH2005:10).The absenceofcertaingroupsfrom‘nationalculturalinstitutions’and‘theofficialviewof history’is‘significant’:‘itislikebeingrubbedoutofhistory’(Woodetal 2006:34). Ratherthanfosteringamorecohesivesociety,iftheheritagesectorcontinuestounderrepresentmigrationhistoriesitmayfinditiscontributingunwittinglytoits fragmentation. AnEnglishHeritage-commissionedMORIpollin2000foundthat75percentoftheblack communityand63percentoftheAsiancommunitythoughtthattheywere underrepresentedinthenation’sheritage;somewhatsurprisingly45percentofthewhite
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communityagreedwiththem(MORI2000).2 Muchhasbeendoneevensincethesesurveys wereconductedbutinshort,thereiswidespreadpublicsupportformoreworkinthisarea andthenervousnessatmanagementlevelthatmanymuseumandheritageprofessionals reportaboutconductingmoreworkofthistypewouldnotappeartobejustified.
Heritageasbroker Aboveandbeyonditssymbolicvalue,thevalueoftheheritagesectorliesinitsabilityto provide‘thesafe,sharedspacesinwhichassumptionscanbechallenged,wheredifficult issuescanbeaddressed,wherewecantesttheboundaries,butintheprocessmovetowards abettersenseofourselves’(Hodge2008).Thisisimportant:‘Inthiseraofpluralidentities, weneedciviltimesandcivilspacesmorethanever,fortheseareessentialtothedemocratic processbywhichindividualsandgroupscometogethertodiscuss,debateandnegotiatethe pastand,throughthisprocess,definethefuture’(Gillis1994:20).Ascivilspaces,heritage siteshavethepotentialtohostconversationsaroundcontentiousissues,includingmigration. At19PrinceletStreet,theindependentmuseumofimmigrationanddiversityintheEastEnd ofLondon,asitespecificinstallationbySuzanaTamamovicusesthefabricofthebuildingto explorethefears,anxieties,longingsanddesiresofrefugees.Thisworkoftenprovokes thoughtful,impassionedandsometimesangryresponsesfromvisitorswhichvolunteersare encouragedtochannelintoaconstructiveexchangeofideas,oftenbringingothervisitors intothediscussion.Heritage,inshort,hasthepotentialtobuildonmaterialculturetobroker amorenuanced,complexreadingofthepastand,byextension,ofthepresent. Onceagain,stimulatingcriticaldebateisnotanadd-ontocoreactivities:itderivesfromthe verynatureofthesitesandcollectionswhosegreatestassetistheiravailabilityformultiple interpretations.Forexample,adocumentoranartefactrelatingtothefoundingofBarings BankcouldbeusedtotellthestoryoftheroleofProtestantimmigrantsandrefugeesin establishingmanyofthegreatinstitutionsoftheCityofLondon.Alternatively,itcouldalso beusedtostimulatereflectiononthelegacyoftheslavetradesincethebankwasfounded largelyonFrancisBaring’sprofitsfromthisactivity.Theaimofthisexampleisnottopoint thefinger,merelytoprovideasimpleillustrationofthewaysinwhichthedocumentaryand materialcultureofthepastcanbeusedtodrawoutthecomplexitiesofourmigration heritage.Britain’smigrationhistory,withitscontinualinterweavingofnarrativesof immigration,emigrationandforcedmigration,sometimeseveninthecourseofasingle individual’sorfamily’slife,isunusuallycomplex.Heritagesites,asplaceswherethese threadscanbeuntangled,examinedandrewound,canplayauniqueroleinhelpingusasa nationtocometotermswiththisunstableandintricatepast.
Towardsheritagediversity Inrecognitionbothoftheheritagesector’sresponsibilitytoservesocietyasawhole (includingpreviouslyunder-representedaudiences,suchascommunitiesofAfricanandAsian heritage)andtheuniqueroleitcanplayinfosteringinterculturaldialogue,ithasinrecent yearsengagedatlengthwithculturaldiversityandhowbesttorepresentit.Inthisreportwe taketheviewthat‘culturaldiversity’isonlyoneaspectofamuchbiggernationalpicture thatshouldincludemanycategoriesofindividualswhodonotnecessarilyfeelthemselvesto beconcernedbythe‘culturaldiversity’agenda.Nevertheless,itisusefulbrieflytoreview thisliterature,sinceitsfindingsinformthethinkingofthisreport.Thedebateaboutthe representationandpresenceinmuseumsandgalleriesofculturallydiverseartsandartists waskickedoffin1976byNaseemKhan’sinfluentialandwide-reachingstudyTheArts BritainIgnores(seeKhan2005).Appendix1listssomeofthekeypublicationsthathave
2.By2003,overall72percentofpeoplethoughtthatmoreshouldbedonetorecognisethecontribution madebydifferentcommunitiestoourheritage(EnglishHeritage2003).
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addressedtheissuesaroundculturaldiversityintheheritagesectorinthelastdecade.For thefullestoverviewofthetheoreticalandpracticalbackgroundtothisdebateseeLola Young’sessayfortheMuseumofLondon3.
Beyonddiversity Whiletheemphasisonculturaldiversityhasdonemuchtomovetheheritagesectorforward, asastrategyitalsohasitslimitations.Putsimply,thereisariskthattheemphasisoncultural diversityencouragesmuseums,galleriesandheritagesitestopresentaverystaticpictureof diversity,a‘mosaic’approach,which,ifnothandledwithgreatsensitivity,mayencouragean ideaofsocietyofcomposedofdiscrete,exclusivecommunities.Moreover,apredominantly celebratoryapproachtopreviouslyhiddenhistoriescaninstitutionalisenewsilencesand hierarchies(Kushner2006). TheriskofareductivetokenismwasacknowledgedbytheDepartmentforCulture,Media andSportinits2006majorreviewofthemuseumsector: ‘Thereisariskofpigeonholingpeopleinatokenisticway.Inchoosing whichidentitiestoexplore,museums,aremakinganimplicitstatement thatthesearetheidentitiesthatmatter.Weriskreplacingasingle dominantstorywithaseriesofstoriesthatfailtoconnectwithone another–the“Muslim”storyorthe“workingclass”story.[…] Museumsneedtorecognisethemultiplehistoriesofourdiverse communities,butalsotobeplaceswherecross-cuttingstoriescan encounteroneanother,allowingdifferenthistoricaltraditionstomeet.’ (DCMS2006:13) Onewayinwhichthiscanbeachievedisbyplacingtheemphasisonmigrationasprocess as muchasondiversityasoutcome.Thisapproachalsohelpstoencourageanunderstandingof identitiesasself-representationsthatareneitherimmutablenorsomehow‘natural’,but createdovertimeinresponsetochangingcircumstances,newenvironmentsandencounters withnewpeoples.Theheritagesectorisuniquelyplacedtorestoreasenseofhistorical temporalitytorepresentationsofdiversity,or,inotherwords,togroundagrowingnumber ofinterlocking‘horizontal’storiesaboutwhowearetodayinacomplexwebof‘vertical’ storiesaboutwherewehavecomefrom(DCMS2006). Ratherthanmigrationbeingseenasoneaspectofaculturaldiversityagenda,cultural diversity(insofarasitrefersto‘ethnicityandrace’4)couldinsteadbeperceivedasasubset ofamuchmorefar-reachingnationalmigrationstory.Situatingcontemporarydiversityinthe contextofthelonghistoryofpopulationandsettlement,butalsoofthemovementsof peopleinandoutofBritainthatdefinedtheImperialperiod,wouldmakeitharderto maintainexistingassumptionsabout‘majority’and‘minority’communitiesbyemphasising notsomuchdifferenceascommonality.
Theeducationalneed Therearemorethan10millionchildrenofschoolageintheUK.Asagrouptheycomprisea significantproportionoftheheritagesector’svisitors,eitherwiththeirfamilies,orthrough school-organisedvisits.PolicychangesinEnglishschoolsannouncedin2008willguarantee
3.‘Ourlives,ourhistories,ourcollections’byLolaYoung, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/Collections/OnlineResources/RWWC/Essays/Essay2/ 4.IntheMLA’sdocumentCulturalDiversityStatement,IssuesandActionPlanforResource(Resource 2003),culturaldiversityisdefinedas‘diversitybasedaroundethnicityandrace’.TheMLA’scurrent agreeddefinitionofdiversityismuchbroader:‘Diversityisabouttherangeofvisibleandnon-visible differencesthatexistbetweenpeople.Thesedifferencesincludethoserelatingtoethnicityandrace, class,intellectualandphysicalability,urbanandruralliving,faithandgender,sexualityandage’(Hylton 2004:2).
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everychildfivehoursofculturalactivitieseveryweek,whichattimeswillincludevisitsto museums.Additionally,pressuresonteachingtimeintheprimaryschoolcurriculummeans thatthereislessformalteachingofHistoryintheseschoolsthantherewas20yearsago. Instead,primaryschoolchildrenusuallyreceivemuchoftheirhistoricalknowledgeand understandingthroughone-offmuseumvisits. Englishschoolsalsohaveadutytopromotesocialcohesion,andthestudyofmigrationisa compulsorypartofthecurriculuminEngland,NorthernIrelandandWales,through Citizenshipeducation,HistoryandGeography.Asaconsequencethereisagrowingdemand fortheheritagesectortoprovidesuitableresourcesinthisarea.Anynewapproachto representingmigrationintheUKheritagesectormustrespondeffectivelytotheneedsof childvisitors,whowillcompriseasignificantaudience. IntheUKtherehasbeenalonghistoryofeducationalinterventionsthathaveaimedto buildbetterinter-ethnicrelations,towhichtheheritagesectorhascontributed.The multiculturaleducationmovementofthelate1970sandearly1980saimedtoprepare childrenfromthemajoritycommunityforlifeinamulti-ethnicsociety.Atthistimeschools begantocelebratefestivalsotherthanthosethatwereChristian.Schooltextbookswerealso reviewedfortheirportrayalofminoritycultures. Butbythemid-1980s,multiculturaleducationhadbeguntoattractcriticismfor homogenisingandexoticisingtheculturalformsofminoritygroups,aswellasfailingto challengethedeep-rootedinequalitieswithinBritishsociety.Agrowinganti-racistmovement calledforminoritygroupstounifyasBritishBlacksandfightracism.Thismoreassertive movementagainledtoarewritingofschooltextbooks,schoolprojectsthatexplicitly examinedethnicinequalitiesintheUK,aswellasschoolpoliciesthataimedtoconfront racism(Klein1993).Anumberofheritagesectordiversityinitiativeshavetheirrootsinthis period,forexample,BlackHistoryMonth,theBlackCulturalArchives,andthenowdefunct EthnicCommunitiesOralHistoryProject. Buttherewascriticisminsomequartersofthetoneofsomeanti-racistinitiatives.Academics challengeddominantconstructionsofraceandanti-racismforfailingtoacknowledgethe rangeofdifferenttypesofracismintheUKandtheexperiencesofgroupssuchasCypriots, Irish,PolishandGypsyRoma(AnthiasandYuval-Davies1992,Rattansi1992).Inschools, implementingwidereducationalreformsmadedemandsonteachers’timeandenergyandin suchaclimateeducationalinitiativesthatexamineddiversityorethnicinequalityweregiven lesspriority.Butthislullwasonlytemporary.Increasedrefugeemigrationduringthe1990s andthedemonisationofthisgroupbysomesectorsofthemedialedanumberofrefugee NGOstoproduceteachingresourcesandorganiseeducationalprogrammesasameansof gettingtheirmessageacrosstoayouthaudience.ThesesameorganisationsformedRefugee Weekin1998,aweekofeventsthatinvolvesschoolsandtheheritagesector,aswellas manycommunityorganisations. Butsincelate2001,termssuchasracismandraceequalityhavebeenreplacedinschoolsas inanumberofotherareasofgovernmentbyanewpolicyagenda:socialcohesion.This policyshiftwascausedbyconcernsaboutreligiousextremismafterthe2001and2005 atrocitiesinNewYorkandLondon,theBradfordandOldhamdisturbancesof2001and reportsintothelattereventswhichidentifiedthehousing,educationalandemployment segregationofMuslimswithinanumberofBritishcities. Inresponsetotheseconcerns,governmentimposedadutyonschoolstopromotesocial cohesionandaspartofthisprocessinitiatedareviewoftheEnglishschoolcitizenship curriculum,withtheaimofusingthissubjecttobringdiversecommunitiestogetherand createacommonBritishidentity.Thisreviewledtoaredraftingofthesecondarycitizenship curriculum,withtheobligationthatschoolsnowteachchildrenabout‘migration,to,from andwithintheUK’.However,thisnewrequirementisnotyetmatchedbysufficient educationalresourcesbeyondtheschoolgates,insitessuchasmuseums.Thelaunchofthe
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‘Whodowethinkweare?’website5 in2008whichprovidesresourcestoteachersinthisarea isbothausefulnewresourceinitselfandevidenceoftheurgentneedforadditional resources. Thispolicycontextraisesfourquestionsfortheheritagesectoreducators: 1.Whatresourcesarepresentlyavailableintheheritagesectorforteachingabout migration? 2.Whatmigratorymovementsarerepresentedineducationinitiatives,andwhat gapsexist? 3.Howeffectivearepresentheritagesectoreducationalinitiativesinbuildinggood inter-ethnicrelationsandgreatersocialcohesion? 4.Ifwewanttopromoteourmigrationheritage,whatformshouldtheeducational andchild-centredcomponentstake? Manyofthespecialistsites,aswellastemporaryexhibitionsdiscussedinthisreporthave attachededucationalprogrammes.WebsitessuchasMovingHere(www.movinghere.org.uk) havebeendesignedtobeaccessibleforallagegroups.Butliketheexhibitsthemselves, muchoftheeducationalmaterial(aswellasschoolbooks)placesgreateremphasison culturaldiversityanddownplaysbothmigrationasaprocessandtheimpactofnewarrivals onshapingthehostcultures.Therearemanygapsincoverage,inparticularemigrationfrom theUK,Europeanimmigrationandthesmallerandnewercommunitiesthathavearrivedin theUKduringthelasttenyears.Indeed,inmanyrespectsthegapsineducationalcoverage mirrorthoseintheheritagesectorasawhole(seebelow). ManyspecialistsitesandtemporaryexhibitionshavebeenlocatedinLondonandotherlarge metropolitanareas.Childrenwholiveoutsidethebigcitieshavehadmuchlessopportunity tovisittheseexhibitions.Ingeneral,thereislittle‘hands-on’materialrelatingtomigration andavailableonaregularbasistoyoungpeopleacrosstheUK.Heritagesectoronline resourcesthatmighthelpfillthisgapstruggletocompetewiththesophisticatedmedia platformsmanychildrenareusedto.Thereisscope,then,formoreeducationalworkinmore locations,butalsoforbetterwork.Manyeducationalinterventionsthathaveaimedto challengeprejudicehavenotbeeninformedbyresearchintosocialidentityandcognitive developmenttheoriesofprejudice(unlikeinpost-conflictzonessuchasRwandaandthe Balkans)andassuchhavenotscoredwellinevaluations(Lemos2005). Itisessentialthatanyfutureheritagesectormigrationinitiativebothfillsthehistoricalgaps andsuccessfullyengagesthechildaudience.
5.Forthewebsite’sapproachtomigrationseethearticlebyKeithAjegbo,‘Thesedayspeopleareonthe move’,www.wdwtwa.org.uk/news/55/these-days-people-are-on-the-move.html
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3.ExistingmigrationinitiativesintheUK Inrecentyearsmanymuseums,heritagesitesandcommunityorganisationshavetakenup thechallengeofimprovingthepublicrepresentationofmigration.Thissectionprovidesan overviewoftheseinitiatives,basedoninformationprovidedbyheritageprofessionals workinginthisfield.Itisbynomeanscomprehensiveandtheremaybeimportantprojects thathavenotbeenincluded.Moreover,therangeanddiversityoftheseinitiativesshould notdisguisethefactthatcoverageremainspatchy.Manyvisitorstomuseumsandheritage sitesmaystillcomeawaywithnoinklingofthecomplexityofpopulationhistoriesinagiven area.Andoftenorganisationsdependonthecommitmentofindividualcuratorsofthis agenda.Thereisstillmuchworktobedonetoembedmigrationhistoriesintheheritage mainstream.
Fromthemarginstothemainstream:the1980stothepresent InJonMcGregor’s2006novelSoManyWaystoBegin thecentralcharacter,DavidCarter,a curatoratCoventryMuseum,decidestocurateanexhibitionentitled‘Refugees,Migrants, NewArrivals’.Theyearis1975andwhileCarter’sfictionalDirectorisreluctanttosupport theproject,herecognisesthatthisisa‘fashionable’subject.HadareallifeDavidCarter beenengagingwithCoventry’svariouscommunitiestoputtogetheranexhibitionabout migrationhistoriesasearlyas1975hewouldhavebeenaveryearlypioneer. Thatsaid,itwasinthemid1970sthatmigrationasasubjecttheheritagesectorshouldbe tacklingwasfirstdiscussedwithanyseriousness.Inthissectionweattempttoreviewwhat hashappenedsince,butitisimportanttonotefirstthatthisworkinggroupisnotthefirst bodytofloattheideaofanationalmuseumofmigration.Indeed,in1999,theAsha Foundationwasawarded£10millionbytheMillenniumCommissiontoestablishsucha museum.Sadly,itfailedtocomeupwiththematchedfundingandtheprojecthadtobe abandoned(Dean2005). Backinthe1970s,ambitionsweremuchmoremodestthantheyaretoday.Small,local museumsquietlystartedtoconsiderhowthemigrationstoriesoftheirlocalaudiencescould bebetterrepresented:Hackney,BruceCastleinHaringeyandLeicesterMuseumsarenotable examples(Fussell1991).Thisengagementwithmigrationcameoutoftheextenttowhich suchmuseumsareembeddedintheirlocalcommunities.Thisoftencomeswithastrong senseofresponsibilitytowardsthecommunityasawholeandamoreimmediateawareness ofwhoisbeingleftout,whichthentranslatesintoadesiretobuild‘aresponsivemuseum service’(MacDonald1995). Today,followingrecentredevelopments,migrationstoriesareattheheartofsomeofthese sameinstitutions:HackneyandBrentinLondonremainoutstandingexamples.Inasimilar vein,museumsinareasthathavelongbeenkeypointsofarrivalanddeparture,suchasthe DoverMuseum,necessarilyplacenarrativesofexchangeofpeoplesandculturesinthe foreground.However,opennesstomigrationnarrativesisnotalwayssynonymouswitha willingnesstousethemuseumtotackletheprejudiceandhostilityexperiencedby newcomers.DoverMuseum,forexample,usesitsaward-winningBronzeAgeBoatdisplayto explorecross-Channellinks3,500yearsago,butitdoesnotseemtohavebeenpreparedto tackleheadonthethorniercontemporaryquestionsofclandestineimmigrationacrossthe EnglishChannelandthedutyofcaretowardsrefugees,issuesthathavecastadarkshadow overlocalpoliticsinrecentyears. Whilevariouslocalinitiativesweretakingplaceduringthe1970sand1980s,itwasnotuntil 1993thatatrulylandmarkeventintherepresentationofmigrationtookplace,withthe MuseumofLondon’s‘ThePeoplingofLondon’exhibition.Beginningin15,000BCE,the exhibitionchartedabroadrangeofmigrationstreamsintothecityofLondonfromthe Romans,viathe‘AgeofEmpire’toafinalsection,‘TheWorldinaCity’,mappingoutthe
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demographiccharacterofLondonsince1945.AsRaminderKaurhasarguedinanessayfor theMuseumofLondon,throughthisexhibition‘theislandraceisrapidlydispelledasthe myththatitalwayswas’(Kaur2005). Therewere,inevitably,groundsforcriticismofthePeoplingofLondonexhibition:some peoplefeltconsultationwastokenisticandthattheexhibitionwasattimesessentialisingin itsrepresentationofLondon’sminoritycommunities(seeMerrimanetal 1996). Nevertheless,thelegacyoftheexhibitionhasbeensignificant.AttheMuseumofLondon itselfithasinformedthethinkingbehindaseriesofredevelopments,notablythecomplete redesignofthecontemporarygalleries(whichlookat1666tothepresent),scheduledto openin2010atacostof£20.5million6.Migrationisalsonowaprominentthemeinthe MedievalandRomangalleries,thanksinparttotheimpetusprovidedbyThePeoplingof London. Theconclusiontotheevaluationoftheexhibition–thatmigrationstoriesshouldbe ‘mainstreamed’throughoutthemuseum’swork–isnowaviewsharedbyprofessionals acrossthesector,evenifchangeissometimesfrustratinglyslow.Nevertheless,new museums,ormuseumsundergoingsubstantialredevelopment,areincreasinglyplacing migrationattheheartoftheirnewnarratives.The‘GlobalCity’galleryinthenewMuseum ofLiverpool,openingin2010/11,will,forexample,‘giveanoverviewoftheplacesLiverpool tradedwithacrosstheworld,whatwasimportedandexported,andwherepeoplewho settledinLiverpoolmigratedfrom’,inconjunctionwiththewiderobjectiveofgivingdue considerationto‘LiverpoolandBritain’sroleintheBritishEmpire’7. Similarly,aspartoftheconsultationprocessforthenewMuseumofBristol(opening2011) storiesaboutmigrationtothearea,underthetitle‘Whenandwhydidyouoryourfamily cometoBristol?’,arebeingcollectedfromthepublic8.Thenewmuseumwillalsoincludea galleryonBristolandtheslavetrade(HeritageLotteryFund2006). OutsidetheMuseumofLondon,oneofthefirstmuseumstomainstreammigrationhistories wasBirminghamMuseumandArtGalleryinthe1990refitof‘Gallery33’(‘AMeeting GroundofCultures’).Eschewingthetendencytotakeacelebratory,multiculturalapproach, thegalleryaimedto‘deconstructcolonialism,recontextualisetwentieth-centurymigrations andintegratethehistoriesofwhiteBritonsandethnicminorities’(PiersonJones1992:240). Agoodexampleofhowmigrationisincreasinglyembeddedinmuseumrepresentationsof bothnationalandlocalhistoryinareaswhereitmightpreviouslynothavebeenexpectedis providedbytheBritishGalleriesatLondon’sVictoriaandAlbertMuseum(V&A). Throughout,theexhibitionacknowledgesthecontributionsofmigratoryflowstothe decorativeartsinBritain,forexample,intheinfluenceofFrenchHuguenotweaverson textiledesignandofImperialtradingnetworksonseventeenthandeighteenthcentury manufacturing.Throughthe‘WhoseStory?’project,theNationalTrusthasalsobeen integratingmigrationstoriesintoitsinterpretativestrategies,notablyatCharlecoteParkand WightwickManor(seeGrosvenorandMyers2006onthelatter). Inthearchivessectoragrowingawarenessoftheimportanceofdevelopingrepresentative collectionshasledarchivestodevelopmoreproactiveacquisitionspolicieswithaviewto fillinginsomeofgapsintheircollections(forexample,aroundmigration).TheLondon MetropolitanArchivesprovidesagoodexampleofthischange:recentdepositsincludethe importantcollectionsofAfrican-CaribbeanactivistsandpublishersEricandJessicaHuntley,
6.‘What’shappeningattheMuseumofLondon?’ www.museumoflondon.org.uk/english/supportus/capitalcityproject/whatshappenmol.htm 7.‘GlobalCity’,www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/galleries/globalcity/index.aspx 8.‘What’sYourBristol?’,www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Leisure-Culture/Museums-Galleries/museumof-bristol---whats-your-bristol.en
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oftheMuslimWomen’sHelplineand,ofparticularinterestforthethemeofmigration,44 metresofrecordsfromtheSpanishandPortugueseJews’Congregationdatingfromthe mid-seventeenthcentury.The‘Legacy’projectatTyneandWeararchiveshasfocusedon revisitingthecollectionsinordertodrawouthiddenmigrationhistoriesintheexisting mainstreamcollectionsandmakingthesemoreaccessibletousers,throughtheproduction ofauserguidetorecordsofethniccommunitiesand(separately)tomigration.The migrationuserguideincludesreferencesfromworkhouseadmissionlistsandtradeunion archives,highlightingthepervasivenessofthemigrationexperience. Whether‘migration’or‘culturaldiversity’isthebestwayofframinganinclusiveapproachto heritageis,however,asubjectfordebate.StFagan’s,theNationalHistoryMuseumof Wales,iscurrentlyengagedindevelopinganewmuseum-wideinterpretationstrategywitha viewtocontributingtoasignificantcollectivere-evaluationofwhatitmeanstobeWelsh. Themainmessageofthenewstrategyisasfollows: ‘ThereisnosuchthingasoneWelshidentity–therearemany.The exhibitionwillexplorehowoursenseofwhoweare,andwherewe belong,isshapedbylanguage,beliefs,familytiesandasenseof nationhood.Itwillshowthatcultureandtraditionsareconstantly evolving,andwillquestionwhatthefutureholdsforanationlike Walesinaglobalage.’(StFagans2007:1) Clearly,migrationpatternswillbefundamentaltoanunderstandingof‘anationlikeWalesin aglobalage’.Elsewhereinthestrategythisismademoreexplicit:Wales’scomplexreligious tapestryisforexampletobeinterpretedasaproductofmigration.Butitshouldnotbe assumedthatmigrationstoriesalonecansupportthewholefabricofarenewedWelsh identity.Thisexamplehighlightsthefactthatmigrationhistoriesneedtocomplementand deepenratherthandisplaceculturaldiversitythemes.
Temporaryexhibitions:cross-culturalimmigrationstories ‘ThePeoplingofLondon’establishedatemporaryexhibitionmodelthathasbeencopiedin anumberoforganisations.Thefollowinginitiativesarealllinkedbythefactthattheyhave taken‘thelongview’withregardtothehistoryofmigrationandhavesoughttoemphasise linksbetweencommunitiesbytakingachronologicalorthematicapproach.Allhave, however,focusedonimmigrationratherthanbroadermigrationhistories.
•‘MovingIn–ThePeoplingofEalingover1000years’,GunnersburyParkMuseum, Acton,2000.
•‘Encounters:TheMeetingofAsiaandEurope1500–1800’,V&A,2004.Whilethis exhibitionwasnotfocusedonthehistoryofmigration,itsthreesections– discoveries,encounters,exchanges–necessarilyengagedinanin-depthwaywith Britainintheworld,andtheworldinBritain,inthiscrucialhistoricalperiod.
•‘OurPeopleOurTimes’,NorthernIrelandMuseumsCouncil,2004.Thisexhibition, whichbeganwith‘Ireland’sfirstmigrants’intheMesolithicperiod,touredtoa numberoflocations.Eachhostinstitutionpreparedaseriesofactivitiesto accompanytheexhibition(Crooke2007).
•‘ClosingtheDoor?ImmigrantstoBritain1905–2005’,TheJewishMuseum,London, 2005.ThisexhibitiontookthecentenaryoftheAliensActasthestartingpointfor exploring‘howmigrantandrefugeecommunitieshavestruggledandsurvived, despitetherestrictionsontheirrightofentry,andhowtheyhaveenrichedand enhancedBritishsociety.’
•‘Whatwouldyoudoif…?’,SalfordMuseum,2006.Thisexhibitionfocusedonthe experienceofrefugeesinNorthWestEnglandbutalsoincludeda‘migration timeline’,documentingthehistoryofmigrationtoSalfordsincethefourteenth century.
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•‘RootstoCardiff–howtheworldmadeacity’,CardiffMuseum,2007. •‘DestinationTyne&Wear–StoriesofMigrantCommunitiesintheNorthEast’, SunderlandMuseumandWinterGardens,2008.
•‘Connections:hiddenBritishhistories’,touring,2005topresent.The‘Connections’ exhibitionisoneoutcomeofajointprojectlaunchedin1998betweentheJewish CouncilforRacialEquality(JCORE),theAsian-Black-JewishForumandtheParkes InstitutefortheStudyofJewish/non-JewishRelationsatSouthamptonUniversity.In additiontoawebsitethatexplorestheparallelsbetweenBlack,JewishandAsian historiesinBritaina24-panelexhibitionforyoungpeoplewasprepared.This exhibitionhastouredtoschools,librariesandcommunitycentres.
Showcasingculturaldiversity Notallmuseumsandheritagesiteshaveengagedwiththehistoryofmigrationinacrossculturalcontext,butmosthaveatsomestageusedexhibitionstoshowcasethecultural diversityresultingfrommigration.Sometimesthesehavebeendevelopedbymuseum professionalskeentoprovideamoreinclusiveservicetotheircommunities,andsometimes theimpetushascomefromwithinthecommunity.Thevariousoptionsarediscussedby Crooke(2007).Herewelistonlyafewkeyexhibitions:
•‘ReflectionsoftheBlackExperience’,BrixtonArtGallery,1986.Thisgroupshowwas thefirsttoshowcasetheworkofBlackBritishphotographers.Itledtothecreation oftheagencyAutograph,whichhasjustrecentlyestablishedthefirstarchiveof culturallydiversevisualartsatRivingtonPlaceinShoreditch,London.Thearchive willbeamajorresourceforthestudyoftherepresentationofmigrationinthevisual arts.
•‘TheOtherStory:Afro-AsianArtistsinPost-WarBritain’,TheHaywardGallery, London,1989.
•‘Warm,RichandFearless:ABriefSurveyoftheSikhCulture’,CartwrightHall, BradfordArtGalleriesandMuseums,1991.Thereflectionsofthecurator,Nima Poovaya-Smithhavebeenveryinfluentialinshapingthewaymuseumsandgalleries workwithunder-representedcommunities(Poovaya-Smith1997). Alongandvariedlistcouldbedrawnupfrominstitutionsofallsizes:‘BlackBritishStyle’ (V&A2004),‘Coal,Frankincense&Myrrh:YemenandBritishYemenis’(WestonPark Museum,Sheffield,2007–8),‘TheWorldintheEastEnd’(MuseumofChildhood,2005–8), ‘Identities’(JewishMuseum,2006),‘LittleItaly:TheStoryofLondon’sItalianQuarter’ (CamdenLocalStudiesandArchivesCentre,2008),‘FromBectoBroadway’(Wandsworth Museum,2003)andsoon.The‘MovingHere’project(seebelow)facilitatedalotofprojects focusedonindividualcommunitynarratives(including‘FromBectoBroadway’,which exploredtheSouthAsiancommunityintheTootingareaofSouthLondon)asdidtheLocal HistoryInitiative(2000–6).
Issue-basedinitiatives Asylumandrefugees Asylumandrefugeeshavebeenthefocusofanumberofprojects,designedtochallenge negativestereotypesaroundrefugees,toattractnewaudiencesandtouseheritagesitesto contributetotheintegrationofrefugeesintheUK. Withregardtoexhibitions,‘Belonging:VoicesofLondon’sRefugees’attheMuseumof London(2006)isthemosthigh-profileexample.‘Belonging’wascreatedaspartofthe RefugeeCommunitiesHistoryProject,apartnershipbetweentheEvelynOldfieldUnit, MuseumofLondon,LondonMetropolitanUniversityandmorethanfifteenrefugee communityorganisationsandresultedinthecollectionofmorethan160in-depthlifestory
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interviews,aswellasphotographsandobjects.Italsofeaturedworkcreatedaspartofthe RefugeeHeritageProgramme,aninitiativeoftheLondonMuseumsHub,fundedbythe Renaissanceprogramme,inwhichfourlocalmuseumsworkedwithfiverefugee organisations.Themuseumsinvolvedwere:Croydon,Hackney,TheRaggedSchoolMuseum (TowerHamlets)andtheRedbridgeMuseum.ThemuseumsworkedwithAfrican,Kurdish, SomaliandAfghangroupsrespectively.TheRefugeeHeritageProgrammeculminatedina conferenceattheMuseuminDocklandsinMarch2008whichrevealedthediversityof initiativesaroundrefugeeinvolvementintheheritagesector. Glasgow’sGalleryofModernArtaddressedthisthemeina2003exhibition,asdidSalford MuseumandArtGalleryinthe2006exhibition‘Whatwouldyoudoif…?’.Boththese institutionswerealsoengagingwithrefugeecommunitiesbehindthescenes.Salford developedaRefugeeVolunteerProgramme,andGlasgow’sexhibitionwaspartofabigger ‘Sanctuary’projectthatincludedfourteenoutreachprojectsinpartnershipwithAmnesty International(Mulhearn2007).TheSalfordprojectwaspartofajointinitiativebytheDCMS andDepartmentforEducationandSkills(nowtheDepartmentforChildren,Schoolsand Families)entitled‘EngagingRefugeesandAsylumSeekers’.OtherpartnersincludedNational MuseumsLiverpool,LeicesterCityMuseumsService,andTyneandWearMuseums(Hybrid 2008). Thefocusofthisreportisonrepresentationratherthancommunityengagementandassuch thereisnotspacetogointothefullrangeofheritagesectorinitiativesaimedatengaging refugees.ItisimportanttohighlighttheworkofRefugeeActionindelivering‘refugee awarenesstraining’tostaffinmuseumsandlibrariesinBristol,LiverpoolandNottingham. ThegrowingtrendforheritagesectororganisationstoengagewithrefugeesthroughESOL teaching(EnglishforSpeakersofOtherLanguages)shouldalsobementioned;theV&Ahas beenaleaderinthisarea. Enslavementandtheslavetrade Withtheprojectsdevelopedtomarkthebicentenaryoftheabolitionofthetrans-Atlantic slavetradein2007theforcedmigrationofenslavedAfricansandthelegacyofthetradein BritainbecamefirmlyembeddedintheUKheritagelandscape.Over£20millionwas awardedbytheHeritageLotteryFundforprojectsinspiredbythebicentenary(DCLG2007), oftenleavingapermanent(oratleastlong-term)legacy(forexampletheInternational SlaveryMuseuminLiverpoolandtheacclaimed‘London,SugarandSlavery’exhibitionat MuseuminDocklands). Migrationinruralareas Comparedwithmigrationincities,thisaspectofmigrationheritagehasbeenunderrepresented.However,therehavebeenanumberofrecentinitiativesinspiredbytheneedto provideacontextforunderstandingthepresenceandneedsofmigrantagriculturalworkers inruralareas.‘FeastofFenland’(NorfolkMuseumsandArchaeologyService,Wisbechand FenlandMuseumandtouring,2007–8),wasatravellingexhibitioncentredonfood,but whichusedthisthemeto‘putmigrantworkersinaproperhistoricalcontextandshowthey arenothingnew’(DavidWorthington,RenaissanceEastMidlandsprojectsmanager,citedin Stephens2007).AlsoinNorfolk,the‘BrandonCulturalHeritageProject’wasalocalhistory projectthatfocusedonmigrantworkersinBrandoninSuffolkandThetfordinNorfolk. ‘Ipackedthismyself’wasatravellingexhibitionputtogetherbyBridgingArtswithmigrant artists’associationApartArtsandfundingfromtheDioceseofTruroandadministeredby CornwallCommunityFoundation.Acommunity-basedexhibition,itsoughtto‘throwa spotlightonthehundredsofmigrantworkerswhoworkacrossCornwallthroughoutthe year’.11
11.www.bridging-arts.com/news/i-packed-this-myself-photogallery
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AnumberofprojectsintheLocalHistoryInitiative,whichwasadministeredbythe CountrysideAgency,alsoexploredmigrationinruralareas,forexample,the‘BiddulphEast OralHistoryArtProject’,whichexploredtheimpactofmigrationfromCentralandEastern Europe‘andfromallareasofBritain’tothisareaofStaffordshireapparentlyknownlocallyas the‘LittleUnitedNations.’12 Migrationandthearmedforces UntilrecentlytheinvolvementoftroopsfromtheBritishEmpireinfightingintheconflictsof thetwentiethcenturyinparticularhadlargelybeenignored.Thiswasparticularlytruefor AfricansandAfrican-Caribbeans.ThestationingofCaribbeantroopsonthehomefront duringtheSecondWorldWarmakesthisaparticularlyimportantepisodeinthehistoryof theAfrican-CaribbeanpresenceintheUK.However,therearesomesignsthatcontributions likethisarestartingtogainmorerecognition. TheMinistryofDefence’s‘WeWereThere’exhibitionhasbeentouringtheUK,highlighting theoftenunder-recognisedcontributionmadetoBritain’sDefenceoverthelast250years bymenandwomenfromAfrica,Asia,theWestIndiesandotherCommonwealthcountries. ‘FromWartoWindrush’attheImperialWarMuseum,London(2008–9)isanotherattempt tofillthisgap.Similarly,artistSaidAdrus’s‘PavillionRecaptured’exhibitionforTheLightbox, Woking(2008)exploredthecomplexandforgottenhistoryoftheMuslimsoldiersofthe IndianArmywhofoughtforBritainintheFirstWorldWar. RefugeeWeekinJuneandBlackHistoryMonthinOctoberarekeydriversfortemporary exhibitionsorevents.Theseweeksareusefulinthattheyraisetheprofileofparticular histories.However,BlackHistoryMonth,nowinits21styearintheUK,isseenbysomeas ‘ghettoizing’andevenasabarriertomainstreamingBlackhistoryintheheritagesector.
Specialistsitesandinstitutions Inadditiontoprojectswithinexistinginstitutionsthereareanumberofspecialistsiteswith migration-relatedcollections.Theseorganisationsareoftenindependentandstruggleto gatherthenecessaryfunds. 19PrinceletStreet 19PrinceletStreetiscurrentlyascloseastheUKcomestohavingapermanentmigration museum.Manygenerationsofmigrantsfromacrosstheglobehavefoundshelterinthis eighteenthcenturyhouseintheEastEndofLondon,fromtheHuguenotrefugeeswhowere itsfirstresidentstothePolishJewswhopavedoverthegardentobuildasynagogueinthe ninenteenthcenturyandtheirsuccessorswhoheldanti-fascistmeetingsinthebasementin the1930s.Whatmakesthesitesopreciousisthewaythetracesofthesesuccessive habitationsareallpreservedinthefabricofthebuilding:‘Listentothewalls’,oneofthe installationsurges. Thebuildingwaspurchasedin1981byacharitabletrust,the‘SpitalfieldsCentreforthe StudyofMinorities’,whichwassetupinordertosecurethehouse’spreservation.19 PrinceletStreetwasregisteredasacharityin1983.TheprojectwaspioneeredbyTassaduq Ahmed,aleadingfigureinthelocalBengalicommunity,andRabbiHugoGryn.Fromthe outset,fosteringinterculturalunderstandinghasbeenattheheartofthecharity’swork.One exampleisthe2000‘SuitcasesandSanctuaries’exhibitionproject,undertakenwiththe supportofthePaulHamlynFoundation,wherechildrenfrompredominantlyMuslimschools workedonJewishhistoriesandviceversa.Theinterculturalemphasisisalsoreflectedinthe profileofthevolunteers,whoaredrawnfromawiderangeofbackgrounds(andinclude refugees).
12.www.lhi.org.uk/projects_directory/projects_by_region/west_midlands/staffordshire/biddulph_east_ oral_history_art_project/index.html
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19PrinceletStreetenjoysahighlevelofpublicrecognitionfollowingprofilesinawiderange ofmedia13 andwouldbeapopularchoiceforapermanentmuseumofmigration.Themain difficultythecharityfacesinmovingtothenextlevelisraisingthematchedfunding necessarytodrawonpublicsources,suchastheHeritageLotteryFund(atleast£3millionis required).Immigration,apparently,remainsasubjectwithwhichprivatesponsorsare uncomfortable.Ironically,thismaybebecausetheabsenceofanationalmuseumorsimilarly high-profileinitiativemeansthatitisnotseenbymanyaspartofthenationalheritage.In 200219PrinceletStreetwasplacedonEnglishHeritage’s‘BuildingsatRisk’register.English Heritagealsocontributed£30,000forurgentstructuralrepairs.Theongoingfragilityofthe buildingmeansitcancurrentlyonlyopenforafewdaysayear. 19PrinceletStreetisafoundermemberoftheUNESCOmigrationmuseumsnetworkandis alsopartoftheInternationalCoalitionofHistoricSiteMuseumsofConscience,whichalso includestheLowerEastSideTenementMuseuminNewYorkCity. ButetownHistoryandArtsCentre TheButetownCentreinCardiffisalocalhistoryandculturalcentreestablishedin1987 whichaims‘toensurethatthesocialandculturalhistoryofCardiffDocklands,oneof Britain’smostfamouscommunities,iscarefullycollectedandpreserved’.Thecentreaimsto createa‘BayPeoples’archiveandmuseumandtothatendisbuildingupcollectionsrelating tothehistoryofthearea,includingtheimportanthistoryofmigrationinthedocks.The centreisanindependentcharity. Specialistsitesbycommunity Thefollowingmajorinstitutionsspecialiseintheheritageofparticularcommunities(with importantmigrationhistories).Theiractivitiesreflectthestrengthsoftheirexpertstaffand collections. •Jewishmuseums.TherearenotableJewishmuseumsinLondonandManchester. BothholdcollectionsdocumentingthesocialandculturalhistoryofJewsinBritain,in additiontoimpressivecollectionsofJudaica.TheJewishMuseuminLondonis currentlyundergoinga£9.2millionredevelopmentprogramme.Therenewedmuseum willaimto‘buildonitsvaluableworkincombatingracismandprejudice,promoting interfaithrespectandunderstanding,andcontributingtoculturaldiversityinLondon andtheUK.’ •TheBlackCulturalArchives.Thirtyyearsinthemaking,theBlackCulturalArchivesin Brixton,SouthLondon,hasrecentlybeenawarded£4millionbytheHeritageLottery FundtobecomeapermanentmuseumandarchiveoftheblackpresenceinBritain. •TheUlsterAmericanFolkpark. Documentinganemigrantratherthananimmigrant community,theUlsterAmericanFolkparkisanopen-airmuseuminCoTyrone, NorthernIrelandthattellsthestoryofemigrationfromUlstertoAmericainthe eighteenthandnineteenthcenturies.TheFolkparkwasfoundedin1976.Since1998 ithasbeenpartofNationalMuseumsandGalleriesofNorthernIreland.Plansare currentlybeingpreparedtodevelopaNationalMuseumofEmigration. Specialistsitesbytheme Justastemporaryexhibitionshaveexploredparticularthemesinthehistoryofmigration,so therearededicatedthematicsites. •InternationalSlaveryMuseum (ISM),Liverpool.Openedin2007withinMerseyside MaritimeMuseum,theISMispartofNationalMuseumsLiverpool.
13.www.19princeletstreet.org.uk/press.html
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• BritishEmpireandCommonwealthMuseum(BECM),Bristol.Openedin2002,the BritishEmpireandCommonwealthMuseumisthefirstmajorinstitutionintheUKto presentthe500-yearhistoryandlegacyofBritain’soverseasempire.Its2007 exhibition‘BreakingtheChains–TheFighttoEndSlavery’wasshortlistedforthe covetedArtFundprize.AsanindependentcharitytheBECMhasstruggledtoattract thefinancialsupportitrequirestomeetitscurrent£2millionannualrunningcosts andisplanningamovetoLondonwiththehopeofsecuringitslong-termfutureand reachingalargerinternationalaudience.
Onlineinitiatives Thephysicalinitiativesdescribedabovearecomplementedbyasetofonlineinitiatives. Immigrationonline MovingHere–www.movinghere.org.uk ‘MovingHere’wasaconsortiumof30archives,librariesandmuseumsthatcontributedto theonlinecatalogueof200,000itemsrelatingtothehistoryofmigrationtotheUK.The firstphaseoftheprojectdedicatedtothedevelopmentofthisonlineresourceandincluding essaysonthehistoryoftheIrish,Jewish,CaribbeanandSouthAsiancommunitiesintheUK wasfundedbytheBigLotteryFundandledbytheNationalArchives.Visitorstothesite werealsoencouragedtouploadtheirownstoriesand104didso.‘MovingHere’also providesguidanceforpeoplefromthesecommunitieslookingtoexploretheirfamilyhistory, andthisfeaturehelpstoexplainthesite’ssuccess. Asecondphasefrom2005–7includedfournewregionalheritagepartners(MLAYorkshire, WestMidlandsMuseumsHub,EastMidlandsMuseumsHub,andLondonMuseumsHub) andanumberofotherorganisations(NationalMuseumsLiverpool,theRoyalGeographical Society,theMuseumofLondon,WestYorkshireArchivesService,andtheJewishMuseum), againledbytheNationalArchivesandfundedbytheHeritageLotteryFund.Thissecond phasewasintendedtofacilitatecommunity-basedheritageprojectsaroundthehistoryof migrationacrosstheUK.Theseprojectsareprofiledonthewebsite.15 The‘MovingHere’projecthasnowclosed.Nonewitemsarebeingaddedtothecollections, norarethereongoingplanstodisseminatetheresearch,althoughongoingaccessishandled bytheNationalArchives.Anyproposalsforadditionalonlineresourceswillneedtoplanfor theirlong-termfuture. Origination–www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/R/racedebate/more.html ‘Origination:TheRichMixofBritishHistoryandCulture’isaChannel4mini-site,createdin 2006,that‘bringstogether,thewealthofwebresourcesrecordingandcelebratingthe contributionsofimmigrantculturestocontemporaryBritain.’16 Manyoftheresourcesit gatheredhavenowbeentakendown,highlightingissuesaroundthelong-termsustainability ofonlineresources.Itcontinuestohostaseriesof‘TalkingPoints’,wherevariousprominent figuressharetheirviewsaboutmulticulturalismandanethnicitymapofBritain. TheBBC TheBBCwebsiteprovidesdetailedinformationaboutthehistoryofimmigrationtotheUKin arangeoflocations.Inadditionto‘BornAbroad:AnImmigrationMapofBritain’17 (prepared inconjunctionwithippr)localandregionalpagesofferdetailedinformationabout sometimeslittle-knownmigrationhistoryintheirarea,forexampleaboutthePolish communitythatcametosettleinthevillageofPenleyontheWrexham-Shropshireborder.18 15.www.movinghere.org.uk/stories/default.asp 16.www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/R/racedebate/more.html 17.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/born_abroad/html/overview.stm 18.www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/sites/wrexham/pages/penley.shtml
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Emigrationonline TheScottishEmigrationMuseum–www.homecomingscotland.com Thisproject,coordinatedbytheScottishMuseumsCouncil,aims‘toprovidetheglobal communitywithaccesstoaunique,authoritativeandinspirationalonlinecollectionofScots migration-relatedresourcesinpartnershipwithkeyDiasporapartnercountries’(Scottish MuseumsCouncil2008).Itisduetobelaunchedintimeforthe2009‘Homecoming Scotland’celebrations. ScotsAbroad–www.nls.uk/catalogues/online/scotsabroad/index.html ScotsAbroadisaportalhostedbytheNationalLibraryofScotland,givingaccesstoonline ScottishemigrationresourcesbothinsideandoutsidetheLibrary. Glaniad–www.glaniad.com Glaniad(Welshfor‘landing’)isawebsitethattellsthestoryoftheWelshemigrantswho settledinPatagonia,SouthAmerica,duringthelatenineteenthcentury.In2005–6items‘of culturalandhistoricalsignificancetoWalesandPatagonia’weredigitisedtoproducea searchableonlinegalleryandatrilingualwebsitetointerprettheseitems.Theprojectwasa jointundertakingbetweenCyMAL(MuseumsArchivesandLibrariesWales),Culturenet Cymru,theNationalLibraryofWales,theUniversityofWalesBangorArchivesandLibrary, andvariousorganisationsinPatagoniawithfundingfromtheWelshAssemblyGovernment. Theonlineresourcewasalsoexplicitlydesignedtomeettherequirementsofsecondary schoolHistoryKeyStage3:AHistoricalTheme:MigrationandEmigration. HiddenHistories:TheUntoldLondonportal–www.untoldlondon.org.uk UntoldLondonisawebportalconnectinguserswithinformationaboutthehistoryof London’sdiversecommunities.BasedatMuseumofLondonDocklandsandmanagedby LondonMuseumsHub,theprojectissupportedbythetechnologyofthe24HourMuseum andisfundedbytheMLAandtheDCMS(whichbacktheHub).Theprojectisinparta responsetoarecommendationbytheMayor’sCommissiononAfricanandAsianHeritagefor ‘theestablishmentofavirtualresource[…]asaformalandinformaleducationaltoolaswell asaportalforthewealthofheritageresources[…]’(MCAAH2005:18).Thesiteprovides historylistingsinLondon,collectioninformationandnewsfeatures.Pastlistingsandfeatures arearchivedasaresource.Informationisorganised‘byculturalgroup’.
Communityprojects Theinitiativesdescribedabovearemostlymajorinstitutionalinitiatives.Thereisalsoawealth ofsmallerprojects,often,althoughnotexclusively,ledbyandfromthecommunitiesin questionandfundedforthemostpartbytheHeritageLotteryFund.Whiletheseprojects takeplaceoutsideofthemainstream,thoseinreceiptofpublicfundingarerequiredtomake theiroutcomesaccessibletopeoplefrombeyondtheircommunity,oftenbydepositingtheir archiveswithlocalornationalarchivesorlibraries.Collectively,theseprojectsmakeamajor contributiontotheUK’smigrationheritage. Communityheritageandoralhistoryprojects Oralhistoryhasaparticularlyimportantroletoplayinthehistoryofmigration,sincethere maybeminimaltracesinexistingcollectionsinmuseumsandarchives.Oralhistoryprojects mayempowermigrantstotelltheirstoriesforthefirsttime(Thomson1999).Andthe communitybasisoftheseprojectsenablesthemtoreachindividualsandunearthmemories andexperiencesthatwouldprobablybeinaccessibletomainstreamorganisations,even thosethatarelocallyembedded. Thetablethatfollowslistsaselectionofrecentcommunityheritageprojectsthathaveused oralhistory(oftenalongsideotheractivities),fundedeitherbytheHeritageLotteryFund,or bytheBigLotteryFundunderthe‘AwardsforAll’scheme.Thelistisnotcomprehensive,but isintendedtogiveaflavourofthekindofworkbeingundertaken.
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Table1.Communityheritageprojectsusingoralhistory Project BurtonMulti-CulturalHistoryProject HowSoonweForget
Leadpartner EastStaffordshireRacialEqualityCouncil SoftTouch
FirstBosniansintheUK MovingOut Diamondanniversaryofthe ‘Seva’inHandsworth LondonTurkishHeritageProject AsianHistoryProject HidahaiyoDhaqan
BosnianCulturalCentre–Midlands Fullspectrumproduction SikhCommunityandYouthServiceUK
Community/ies Caribbean,SouthAsian Caribbean,SouthAsian,African, EasternEuropeaninLeicester Bosnian CaribbeaninNottingham Sikh,Handsworth(Birmingham)
TurkishCypriotCommunityAssociation AsianHistoryProject SomalilandCommunityCentre Polkadotsonraindrops StockportYouthServices IrishHeritageinHaslingdenCommittee AndersonMel-MilaapCentre CamdenCypriotWomen’sOrganisation GreekParentsAssociation TigersCommunityAssociation
TurkishCypriot AsianinBristol SomaliinManchester VietnameseinLondon Multiple Irish Sikh GreekCypriot GreekCypriot BangladeshiinManchester
NewhamBengaliCommunityTrust MAPPA TheMigrantandRefugee Communities’Forum SwadhinataTrust
BangladeshiinLondon MultipleinPortsmouth Moroccan
ReadingLocalHistoryTrust WalsallAsianLibraryUserGroup
MultipleinReading Sikh,Hindu,Muslim,Gujarati, BangladeshiinWalsall Vietnamese MultipleinLancaster
Migrationproject IrishHeritageinHaslingden SikhsinScotland CypriotDiasporaProject OralHistoryofBangladeshi inGreaterManchester BangladeshiHeritage UnpackingThePast MoroccanMemories TalesofthreegenerationsofBengalis intheUK:BengaliOralHistoryProject TheImmigrantsProject WalsallAsianHeritageProject VietnameseOralHistoryProject WelcomeStoriesProject RomanyHeritageProject
RefugeeAction NationalCoalitionBuildingInstitute, Lancashire Gypsy/TravellerSupportGroup
Bengali
Traveller
TheseprojectsareoftensupportedbylargerumbrellagroupssuchasEastsideCommunity HeritageandShed22,bothinEastLondon,whichprovidesupport,trainingandsometimes physicalspacetocommunityprojectsintheirarea. Trails TheAnglo-SikhHeritageTrailisauniquenationalinitiative,bringingtogetherawiderange ofheritagesites,organisationsandobjectsintheUKandrevealingtheir(oftenhidden) importanceforSikhHeritage.TheprojecthasbeensupportedbyEnglishHeritageandthe HeritageLotteryFundandwaslaunchedin2004.Inthefirstphaseawebsitewascreated whichenabledvisitorstofollowtheTrailvirtuallyandplanactualvisits.Inthesecondphase oftheproject(scheduledtorunto2010)thetrailwilldeliveraprogrammeofoutreachand educationinitiativesbutwillalsocontinueitsexplorationofexistingmuseumandarchive collections.Thetrailisanexcitingwayofusingavirtualplatformtolinkpartnersina physicalnetwork.
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Communitypartnerships Whilemanycommunitieshavedrawnonavailablefundingtogoitalone,therearealso instancesofsuccessfulpartnershipsbetweenheritagesectororganisationsandcommunity groups(andoftenadditionalpartnerssuchasschoolsanduniversities)aroundthethemesof migrationandsettlement.Thesemaybeinitiatedbythecommunityorbytheheritage organisationkeentomeetculturaldiversityobjectives.Anumberoftheexhibitionsand projectscitedaboveinthesection‘Showcasingculturaldiversity’fallintothiscategory.The followingfurtherexamplesareintendedtogivesomeindicationofthediversityof partnershipworking,andalsotoextendtheframebeyondthestagingofexhibitions.
•‘FerhamFamilies’(2007).AteamincludingresearchersfromtheUniversityof Sheffield,curatorsfromCliftonParkMuseumandavisualartistfromthelocal communityworkedwithalocalschool,aSureStartprogrammeandmembersofthe Pakistani/KashmiricommunityinRotherhamtocreateawebsiteandexhibitionand to‘toexplorewaysinwhichmuseumpracticesandthecollectionofartefactswithin amuseumwerebothupheldanddisruptedthroughthepresentationofanexhibition of‘identitynarratives’(PahlandPollard2006).TheprojectwasfundedbytheArts andHumanitiesResearchCouncil.
•NorthamptonshireBlackHistoryAssociation(formerlyProject)and NorthamptonshireRecordOfficehaveworkedtogetherontwoseparateHeritage LotteryFundprojectsfrom2002–8toencourageblackandAsiancommunitygroups (manyofwhoserecordspertaintohistoriesofmigration)todeposittheirarchivesat therecordofficeinordertopreservethisheritageforthefutureand,fromthepoint ofviewoftherecordoffice,tocreatemorerepresentativecollections.
•‘FootprintsoftheDragon’(ongoingsince2007):apartnershipbetweentheLondon MetropolitanArchive(LMA),theChineseNationalHealthyLivingCentre(CNHLC) andtheLondonChineseCommunityNetwork(LCCN).Theprojectaimstodocument theexperiencesofChinesesettlersinLondonsince1880tocreatea‘London Chinesecommunityarchive’atLMA.
•IdentityandtheCity:AHistoryofEthnicMinoritiesinBristol1000–2001. Thiswasa bookpublishedaspartofthe‘England’sPastforEveryone’project,aschemeledby theVictoriaCountyHistoryandfundedbytheHeritageLotteryFund,bringing togetherhistoriansandvolunteerstoworkonnewpublicationsandotherresources. TheBristolgroup,ledbyresearchersfromtheUniversityoftheWestofEngland, chosetofocuson‘thepeoplewhohavemadeBristoltheirhome,frommedieval Jewstothemoderndayasylumseeker.’19 Anotheroutcomefromtheprojectwasthe creationofthe‘BristolSlaveryTrail.’ Communityarchives Withinparticularcommunities,thehistoryofmigrationisincreasinglydocumentedby independentcommunityarchives.Theseinitiativesvaryinsizefromsomelarge-scale organisationsinreceiptofconsiderableprojectfundingfromeithertheHeritageLottery FundortheArtsCouncil(suchastheBlackCulturalArchivesandRivingtonPlace,thenew archiveof‘culturallydiversevisualarts’),toprojectsthatdependentirelyonasmallnumber ofvolunteers,mayneverhavereceivedanyfundingandmayfallbelowtheradarevenof localauthorityheritageservices.Avarietyofinstitutionalarrangementsarepossible:material maybeheldentirelyinthecommunity,orhousedbymainstreaminstitutionssuchas universitiesorlocalauthorityarchives,withownershipremainingwiththesourcegroup.For example,theArchiveoftheIrishinBritain,‘auniqueacademicandcommunityresource’,is
19.www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk/Counties/Bristol?Session/@id=D_4N9iGiLD8dQ3CFDbb6vo
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heldbytheIrishStudiesCentreatLondonMetropolitanUniversity20 buttherearealso importantcollectionsofmaterialrelatingtotheIrishdiasporaheldentirelywithinthe community,forexample,bytheHuddersfieldIrishCentre. ThevalueofthecommunityarchivessectorwasrecognisedbythereportoftheArchives TaskForce,whichsuggestedthatarchivesheldinthecommunitywere‘asimportantto societyasthoseinpubliccollections’(ArchivesTaskForce2004:43).Communityarchives haveauniqueroletoplayintellingtheBritishmigrationstory,sincetheyoftenpreservethe documentarylegacyofthosegroupsthathavebeenmarginalisedbythemainstream heritagesector.Theyoffercommunitiestheopportunitytotelltheirownstoriesontheirown terms.Theintrinsictransienceofmigrationalsomeansthatarchivecollectionsaresometimes betterplacedthanmuseumstotellthestoryofmigration,sincetracesoftenremaininthe formofpassengerlists,diaries,ticketsandphotos,asscrapsinshoeboxesratherthan artefactsinmuseumstores.However,thelackofcorefundingforindependentarchives makesitdifficulttoguaranteetheirsustainability. Theneedtodevelopalong-termstrategyfortheindependentcommunityarchiveshasbeen identifiedbytheCommunityAccesstoArchivesProjectandmorerecentlybytheArchives DiversificationSub-committeeoftheHeritageDiversityTaskForce(2007,unpublished).Any initiativeseekingtoraisetheprofileofmigrationheritagesintheUKwouldneedtoinclude measurestosupportthisvaluablesector,whichcurrentlyreliesheavilyonprojectfunding.
Identifyingthegaps Whilemanyoftheinitiativesdescribedabovedemonstratetheimpressivediversityof approachestomigrationintheUKheritagesectortheyalsorevealthepiecemealandpatchy wayinwhichmigrationisrepresented.Gapsmentionedbytheexpertsconsultedduringthe preparationofthisreportinclude:
•TheMedievalandEarlyModernperiod.WhenpeoplethinkofmigrationtotheUK, theretendstobeafocusontwentiethcenturymigration.Someoftheearlier migratoryphases,setoutinSection2above,havebeenparticularlyunderrepresented.
• Emigration. Whiletheemigrationexperience,particularlytoNorthAmerica,iswell representedinWales,ScotlandandNorthernIreland,emigrationfromEnglandis almostcompletelyinvisibleintheheritagesector,exceptinthecontextoftheBritish Empire,whichisitselfaverymarginaltopic(currentlyvisibleonlyattheBristol EmpireandCommonwealthMuseumand,toalesserextent,inNationalMuseums Liverpool).
• Internalmigration,bothfromruraltourbanareasandbetweenthenationsofthe UnitedKingdom.Bywayofexample,therecent‘DestinationTyne&Wear’exhibition attheSunderlandMuseumfocusedonmigrationfromoverseas,withouthighlighting thefactthatbetween1880and1920theNorthEastregionwasamajorcentreof migrationnotjustfromIreland,butalsofromScotland(Renton2006).
• Returnmigration. ThereisnoevidenceofreturnmigrationeithertoorfromtheUK beingrepresentedinmuseums,archivesorotherheritagesitesanywhereintheUK. Thistopicisessentialtograspingthecomplexityofmigrationflows.
•ThehistoryoftheBritishEmpireandCommonwealth anditsassociatedpopulation patterns.TheonlyinstitutiontospecialiseinthiscrucialaspectofBritishhistory (BristolEmpireandCommonwealthMuseum)isbeingforcedtorelocatebecauseof lackoffunding.ThelackofunderstandingofthehistoryoftheBritishEmpirecan beconsideredamajorbarriertointerculturaldialoguebetweenthemajoritywhite populationandcommunitiesoriginatingfromtheformercolonies. 20.www.londonmet.ac.uk/irishstudiescentre/archive/archive_home.cfm
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•Europeanmigrations, inparticularIrishandPolishmigrations.Thelackofvisibilityof theIrishdiasporaintheheritagesectorisparticularlysurprisinggiventheexistence ofastrongresearchcommunity(reflectedinmigrationfocusedresearchcentresat LondonMetropolitanUniversity,Huddersfield,BradfordandQueen’sUniversity Belfast[Omagh]).Littleofthisworkappearstohavepermeatedthroughto museumsandarchives.TheIrishcommunitywasprofiledinthe‘MovingHere’ project,resultinginthedigitisationofasignificantamountofrelevantmaterialfrom theNationalArchivesandotherrepositories.However,mostofthecommunity projectsassociatedwith‘MovingHere’wereshort-lived,andfewoftheheritage organisationsinvolved(suchasKirkleesMuseum)appeartohavesustainedtheir involvementwiththeIrishcommunity. Anumberofarchives,eitherbasedinthecommunityorinacademicinstitutions, haveemergedtofillthisgap,butthechallengesforcommunityarchivesaremultiple (seeFlinn2007)andallstruggletoachieveahighlevelofvisibility.Moreover, under-representationoftheIrishdiasporahasoftenamountedtomisrepresentation; theMuseumofLondonhas,forexample,reportedlybeencriticisedinthepastfor representingnineteenth-centuryIrishLondonersas‘almostexclusivelyuneducated labourers’(Samuels2007).TheIrishcommunityhasnotbeenthesubjectofany majorexhibitioninEngland,norhavepopulationmovementsinbothdirections betweenEnglandandWalesandIrelandbeenexploredinanydetailinaheritage setting. DespitealonghistoryofmigrationbetweenPolandandtheUK(inbothdirections: asmanyas15,000–40,000ScotsmayhavesettledinPolandintheseventeenth century)21 alackofawarenessofthishistory,andinparticularthearrivaloflarge numbersofPolesintheaftermathoftheSecondWorldWar,contributesto misconceptionsaboutthePolishpresence.ThestoryofthePolishpresenceinBritain couldplayasignificantroleinfosteringamoresophisticatedpublicunderstandingof thecomplexandinextricablelinksbetweenBritainandEurope.ThePolish communityremains,however,almostentirelyabsentfrommainstreamheritage representations(thelanguagebarrierwasreportedlyonereasonwhyitwasnot profiledin‘MovingHere’)andPolish-ledheritageorganisations(inparticularPOSK –PolishLibraryandArchiveinHammersmith,WestLondon)receivelittleorno supportfromthemainstreamheritagesector.
•Themostrecentmigrations,whetherfromEasternEuropeorfromcountriessuchas Iraq.Therewasalsoafeelingthatthedrivetofindwaystoimprovethe representationofAfricanandAsianheritagesinthesectorhasledtosomefigures andperiodsbeingdisproportionatelyemphasised,notinrelationtotheheritage sectorasawhole(wheretheseheritagescontinuetobemarginalised)butratherin thecontextoftheoverallpicturethatispresented,forexampleoftheAfrican presenceintheUK.Therecurrenceofnowfamiliarfiguresandnarrativesmayreflect bothalackofspecialistknowledgeonthepartofcuratorsandtheongoingpaucity ofresearchintoBlackBritishhistory.So,forexample,thearrivaloftheWindrush dominatesnarrativesofmigrationfromtheCaribbean,tothedetrimentofamore complexstoryforthisperiod.ThereisanongoingneedforsupportforBlack heritageprojectsacrossthewidestpossiblerangeofhistoricalperiodsand geographicareastocorrectthisimbalance.Suchprojectsdependonincreased supportforacademicresearchintoBlackBritishhistory,whichcontinuestobe neglectedormarginalisedinschoolanduniversitycurricula.
21.www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory/europe/intro_europe.shtml
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Thematicgapswereidentifiedintheareasof:
•Changingcommunicationtechnologies. TheInternet,cheaplong-distancetelephone callsandsatellitetelevisionhaveradicallychangedindividualexperiencesof migrationandthewaydiasporicspaceisimagined,constructedandinhabited. Overall,themediausedbymigrantstomaintainlinkswithhome,andhowthese havechanged,werefelttobeunder-represented.
•Music. Fewrecentprojectshavelookedattheimportanceofmusicasavehiclefor thetellingofmigrationnarratives,norhavetherebeensystematicattemptstolook atthemigrationofmusicalstylesandpractices.Music,however,isoneoftheways inwhichpeoplemostreadilyengageonaday-to-daybasiswithdiversity,diaspora andthecreativefusionofculturalstylesandpractices. Whatlinksboththesethemesisthequestionofintangibleheritageandtheproblemofhow weusecollectionsanddisplaystodocumentandrepresentperformanceandpractice.Thisis aparticularlypressingissueforanyheritageinitiativeseekingtoexplorethethemeof migrationsincethereisnoeasyanswertothequestionofwhatconstitutesthematerial cultureofmigration(asopposedtodiversity).Indeed,centraltothethemeofmigrationis oftentheideaofloss,ofwhathasbeenleftbehind.Buthowcanmuseums,builtonalogic ofaccumulation,acquisitionandmaterialexcess,accountforthisvoidandopenupaspace forthelonged-for,missingobject(Grognet2007)?Migrationmuseumspresentanexciting opportunitytocallintoquestionthedominantheritageparadigmbuttheyarealsoliableto struggletodeveloparationaleandlong-termstrategyiftheyareseenmerelyasinstruments ofsocialchangeratherthansitesforinterculturalexperimentandencounter.
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4.Theinternationalcontext AlthoughsomeoftheissuesaroundmigrationarespecifictotheUK,accelerationsinthe paceofmovementsofgoods,peopleandideasaroundtheworldhavegeneratedverysimilar debatesinmanyothercountries,predominantlyintheEnglish-speakingworldandin ContinentalEurope.Sincethelate1990smanycountrieshaveturnedtomuseumsand heritagesitestohelpthemaddressfundamentalquestionsofidentityandorigin.Partofthe answerhasfrequentlybeentoexplorethelegacyofpopulationmovementandsettlement throughmigrationmuseums. TheimportanceofthistrendhasbeenrecognisedbyUNESCO(theUnitedNations Educational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization),whichin2006createdaninternational migrationmuseumsnetwork.ThefinalstatementofthefirstUNESCOexpertmeetingon migrationmuseumssentoutaclearmessageaboutthevalueofsuchinstitutions,noting theirpotential‘toachieveamorecohesiveandpeacefulsocietybothnationallyand internationally’and‘toprotectmigrants’rights’(UNESCO2006). Asthefollowingdiscussionwillshow,manyoftheseinitiativeswouldnotbeappropriatein theUKcontext,butnonewinitiativeinthisareashouldoccurwithoutcarefulattentionto internationalexperienceandexistinginternationalnetworksofexpertise,whichhavemuch toteachus.(SeeAppendix2foranoverviewintableform.)
TheAmericasandAustralasia TheUnitedStates TheUnitedStateshasthemostpotentsiteforamigrationmuseuminEllisIslandinNew York.TheIslandwasthefirstportofcallformorethan12millionimmigrantsbetween1892 and1954andisthusdeeplysymbolicformigrantheritage.Itisbothamuseumanda heritagesite,seekingtointerpretboththeindividualandcollectivestoriesofimmigrantsand theprocessesofmigrationtheyexperiencedontheIsland.Itsdisplaysprimarilyaddressthe floodofEuropeanimmigrationtoAmericaduringthelatenineteenthandearlytwentieth centuries.However,apermanentcontextualintroductionandtemporaryexhibitionsseekto broadenthesite’snarrativetoincludenon-Europeanmigrationinmorerecentyears.The museumalsooffersaccesstopassengerrecordsandhelpwithfamilyhistoryresearch,which hasprovedverypopular.EllisIslandopeneditsdoorstovisitorsin1990. TheLowerEastSideTenementMuseum,alsoinNewYorkCityandestablishedin1988, addressesthehistoryofmigrationintheUnitedStatesonamuchmorepersonal,domestic scale.TheMuseum’smissionistopromotetoleranceandahistoricalperspectiveby interpretingthevarietyofmigrantexperiencesonManhattan’sLowerEastSideinthelight ofcontemporarysocialissues(Abram2000). TheUSalsohasastrongtraditionofethno-specificmuseums.Manystatespossessa numberofsuchinstitutions,typicallytheresultofgrassrootsmovementstorecordand preserveethnicheritages.ExamplesincludetheChineseAmericanMuseuminLosAngeles, theUkrainianAmericanArchivesattheMuseumofDetroit,andtheWelshAmerican HeritageMuseuminOakHill,Ohio.Manyoftheseinstitutionsemphasisea‘hyphenated’ identity,simultaneouslybothethno-specificandAmerican.Thisapproachismirroredat nationallevelwiththeNationalMuseumoftheAmericanIndianandtheforthcoming NationalMuseumofAfricanAmericanHistoryandCulture,bothofwhichcombine(orwill combine)celebrationsofachievementwithnarrativesofforceddisplacementandmigration. Canada In1971Canadaadoptedanofficialpolicyofmulticulturalism,thefirstcountrytodoso.The initialfocusinthepolicywasontherighttothepreservationofone’scultureandethnicity asapartofCanadiannationalidentity.Multiculturalismwasthenenshrinedinthe1982
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ConstitutionActaspartoftheCanadianCharterofRightsandFreedoms,andfurther enhancedbythe1987CanadianMulticulturalismAct.Whilethislegislationwasdeveloped primarilywiththeculturalrightsofCanada’sfrancophoneminorityinmind,ithasalsohad implicationsfortherepresentationbothoffirstnations’peoplesandmorerecentarrivals. TheinfluenceofCanadianmulticulturallegislationcanbeseenmostclearlyattheCanadian MuseumofCivilizationinGatineau,theequivalentofanationalmuseumofCanadian history.Themuseumincludesthe‘CanadaHall’,anextendedchronologicalgallerywhich usesfull-scalereconstructionsandrecreationsofbuildingstotellthestoriesofsuccessive wavesofmigrationtoandwithinCanada. CanadaalsohasitsownequivalentofEllisIslandatPier21inHalifax.Again,thisisa symbolicsiteofarrival,whichseekstopreservetheimmigrationshedwhichprocessedmore thanonemillionnewarrivalsbetween1928and1971,aswellasthestoriesofthepeople themselves.Othermuseumshavefocusedonmigrationhistoriesthroughtheirtemporary exhibitionsandeventsprogramme(forexample,‘TheScots–dyedinthewoolMontrealers’ attheMcCordMuseumofCanadianHistory,2003,and‘Encontros:thePortuguese Community’attheCentred’HistoiredeMontreal,2003);theseexhibitionsaretypically celebratoryintheirapproach. AustraliaandNewZealand MuchasinCanada,explicitmulticulturallegislationhasimpactedonthedevelopmentof socialhistoryandmigrationmuseumsinAustralia.Theformaladoptionofmulticulturalismas policyin1978wasfurtherenhancedin1989withtheNationalAgendaforMulticultural Australia.Australia’stwomigrationmuseumscanbeseeninpartasadirectembodimentof thesepolicies,providingaspaceandaforumfordifferentgroupstocometogetherand showcasetheirmigrationhistoriesandcultures. TheMigrationMuseuminAdelaidewasthefirsttoopenin1986asastategovernment initiative,followedbytheImmigrationMuseuminMelbournein1998.Bothmuseumshave permanentdisplaysondifferentaspectsofthemigrationexperiencefromthe1800stothe presentandsuccessfulcommunityaccessgalleries,wherecommunitygroupscanmounttheir ownexhibitions(Szekeres2000).MigrationstoriesarealsocentraltotheNationalMuseum ofAustralia,whichopenedin2001,althoughtheemphasisonculturaldiversityand aboriginalstruggleshasplacedthemuseumattheheartofAustralia’s‘culturewars’andled ittobeaccusedofsponsoring‘blackarmbandhistory’.Similarly,inNewZealand,the MuseumofNewZealand–TePapaTongawera’snarrativesofmigrationareexploredthrough the‘Passports’gallery,whichlooksatthecontributionmadetoNewZealandby‘different ethniccommunities’. TheMigrationHeritageCentreinSydneypresentsanothermodel.Thistooisastate governmentinitiativebutcriticallywithoutadedicatedbuilding.Operatingoutofthe PowerhouseMuseuminSydney,thecoreofitsworkliesinvirtualexhibitionsanddigitised collectionsthroughitswebsite.22 Italsoworksinpartnershipwithnumerousothermuseums inthestatetopresenttemporaryexhibitionsindifferentvenues,aswellasheritagetrailsand educationalprogrammes.AswiththeUS,therearealsoseveralexamplesofethno-specific historymuseums,suchastheGermanMigrationMuseumwithintheHahndorfAcademyin Hahndorf,andtheGoldenDragonMuseuminBendigo(runbytheBendigoChinese Association). Itisworthnotingthattheextenttowhichmigrationmuseumshelpfosterinclusivenotions ofnationalheritageinthe‘newworld’isdependentonthebroadernarrativecontextin whichtheyareembedded.WhileEllisIslandiscarefultoincorporatenon-Europeanstories
22.www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au
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intoitsdisplays,itarguablyowesitshighsymbolicstatustothedominanceofwhite mythologiesofnationalorigins.Amoreextremecaseis‘ElHoteldelosInmigrantes’(House ofImmigrants)inBuenosAires,whichhasbeenaccusedofcelebratingthehistoryof EuropeanmigrationtothedetrimentofAfricanandindigenousAmericanstories(Blickstein 2006).Thereisalsoadangerthatinanovertlybi-ormulticulturalcontext,exhibitionson migrationcanreinforcenotionsofdiscrete,segregatedcommunities,bypositinganessential ‘otherness’(howeverwell-intended).
Europe Europeanmuseumsofmigrationhavefrequentlydrawninspirationfrominitiativessuchas EllisIsland.SomecountrieshavesoughttocapitaliseontheinterestofNorthAmericansin tracingtheirEuropeanancestrybyestablishingemigrationmuseums.ButelsewheretheEllis Islandmodelhasbeenadoptedbypolicymakerskeentodisplaceromanticisednotionsof whiteculturalhomogeneity–‘ourancestorstheGauls’intheclassicFrenchformulation–in favourofmorecomplexnationalstories,groundedinthemovementofpeoplesandcultural syncretism.Thesenewinstitutionsareseenashavinganimportantroletoplayintackling xenophobiaandracism.Othercountries,inparticulartheNetherlands,have,however, chosentodeveloptheirownmodels. Immigrationmuseums ThemostambitiousEuropeanprojecttodateisCiténationaledel’histoiredel’immigration (CNHI),theFrenchnationalmuseumofthehistoryofimmigration.OpenedinOctober2007 inacentralParislocation,itistheonlyimmigrationmuseuminEuropetohavenational museumstatusandisintendedtoalterperceptionsofimmigrationandcontributetosocial cohesion.Theideaofanimmigrationmuseumfirstemergedinthelate1980s,aroundthe timeofthecelebrationsforthebicentenaryoftheFrenchRevolution,whenradicalhistorians andcivilrightsactivistsbegantoreflectontheabsenceofahistoryofimmigrationfromthe Frenchpopularhistoricalimagination,despitethefactthat,accordingtoresearchconducted in1991,onequarterofallFrenchcitizenshadatleastoneforeigngrandparent(Tribalat 1991). Supportfortheideagainedgroundintheaftermathofthe2002elections,whenthe SocialistPrimeMinisterLionelJospinwaseliminatedfromthePresidentialelectionsbythe NationalFront’sJean-MarieLePen.Theprojectforanimmigrationmuseumwasrevivedby thenewcentre-rightPrimeMinisterJean-PierreRaffarin,withthebackingofPresident Chirac,whoappointedhisformeradviserandone-timeMinisterofCultureJacquesToubon toleadtheproject,inthehopethatitwouldpresentthenewlyelectedcentre-right governmentastoughonracismandsupportiveofFrance’s‘visibleminorities’.Crucially,in ordertoachievethecreationofanewmuseumToubonwasallocatedthe(reduced) resourcesofanexistingstate-funded‘racerelations’agency(l’ADRI,l’Agencepourle DéveloppementdesRelationsInterculturelles).UnlikeitscounterpartsintheEnglishspeakingworldtheFrenchmuseumisfirmlyrepublican;thepermanentexhibition,which looksatthehistoryofimmigrationtoFrancesincetheRevolution,isorganisedthematically ratherthanbycommunity(anearliertemporaryexhibition,‘ToutelaFrance’,whichcoincided withthevictoryofamulti-racialteaminthe1998footballWorldCup,tookacommunitybasedapproach). Evenso,themuseumcouldbesaidtorepresentasofteningoftheconventional assimilationistlineonFrenchnationalidentity,particularlyinitscommitmenttoworkingin partnershipwithmigrantcommunityorganisationsanditsformalrecognitionofcultural diversity.Thismayexplainwhythenewinstitutionhasnotyetbeenvisitedorevenofficially mentionedbyPresidentSarkozy,whoseMay2007decisiontocreateaMinistryof ImmigrationandNationalIdentityresultedintheresignationofanumberofkeyexperts fromthemuseum’sadvisoryandmanagementboards.Thenetworkofover1,500 organisations(includingNGOs,communityheritagegroups,localauthoritiesandother
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heritageorganisations)towhichmemberssubscribebysigninga‘charter’oramoreofficial partnershipcontract,isperhapsthecentre’sgreatestachievementandtheaspectofthe projectthatispotentiallymostrelevanttotheUK(Gascoigne2008;seealsothespecial issueofMuseumInternational59:1-2[2007]). OneofthekeypartnersintheCNHInetwork,theindependentarchiveofthehistoryof migration,Génériques,hasalsobeenresponsibleforcreatinganowfour-volumeofficial guidetothehistoryofimmigrationinFrance’snationalandregionalarchives,withthe supportoftheFrenchnationalcouncilforarchives.Thefirstthreevolumesappearedin1999 andthefourthin2005.Afifthisplannedtocompletethisremarkablesurvey. TherehasalsobeenanimmigrationmuseuminDenmarksince1997andasmallmuseum, partofanarchiveandresourcecentre,inBorås,Swedensince1973.AmuseumforCatalonia wasscheduledtoopenin2007.PreliminarydiscussionsaboutanItalianmigrationmuseum werelaunchedinOctober2007ataseminarattheItalianMinistryofForeignAffairs.While inGermanythereis(asyet)nonationalinstitution,in2007theDocumentationCentreand MuseumofImmigrationfromTurkey(DokumentationszentrumundMuseumüberdie MigrationausderTürkeie.V.orDOMiT,agrassrootsorganisationcreatedin1990)fusedwith theassociationforaGermanmigrationmuseum(MigrationsmuseuminDeutschlande.V.), foundedin2002inColognefromanetworkofresearchersandactiviststocreatethe DocumentationCentreandMuseumofImmigrationinGermany(Dokumentationszentrum undMuseumüberdieMigrationinDeutschland,orDOMiD).Itsstatedaimisthecreationof anationalmigrationmuseum.23 ThenationalMuseumofGermanHistory(Deutsches HistorichesMuseum)isalsocollaboratingonamajortemporaryexhibitionwiththeFrench museumofimmigration,openinginParisinDecember2008beforetravellingtoBerlinin 2009. Emigrationmuseums ThecurrentboominemigrationmuseumsinEuropepredominantlyreflectsthegrowthof ‘genealogytourism’,especiallyfromtheUnitedStates.Yetdespitethecommercialincentives forthedevelopmentofsuchinstitutionsmanyhandlethesubjectinasophisticatedfashion, encouragingreflectiononnotionsofdiasporaandculturalidentity.Themajorityofthese institutionsarelocatedinNorthernEurope. FirstamongtheseistheGermanEmigrationCentreinBremerhaven,whichopenedin2005 andwhichin2007wasawardedtheprestigious‘EuropeanMuseumoftheYear’award (previousrecentwinnersincludeLondon’sV&A,andtheGuggenheim,Bilbao).The centrepieceofthemuseumistherecreationoftheexperienceofthetransatlanticcrossing, buttemporaryexhibitionshavealsocoveredsubjectssuchastheexperienceofthoseforced intoexilebytheNazis.Thedisplayconcludeswitha‘MigrationForum’,whichinvitesvisitors toengagewiththecontemporarypictureofglobalmigration(Pes2007). Theideaofanemigrationmuseumisnotnew;theSwedish‘HouseofEmigrants’,hometoa museum,alargearchiveofmaterialrelatingtoSwedishemigrationtoNorthAmericaand familyhistoryresearchlibraryopeneditsdoorsaslongagoas1968.24 TheBremerhaven centreis,moreover,noteventheonlyinstitutionofitskindinGermany:therearealso emigrationarchivesorresearchcentresinHamburg,OldenburgandBredstedt,allofwhich aremembersofAEMI(seebelow).ThereareplanstoturntheHamburgcentreintoanother museum.25 BackinScandanaviaanemigrationmuseumisplannedinPeraseinajoki,Finland, Norwayalreadyhasone(theNorwegianEmigrantMuseum)andDenmarkhasnational emigrationarchives.AlltheseorganisationscatertoaverylargeextenttotheNorth
23.www.domit.de/seiten/ueberdomid/ueberdomid-en.html 24.www.utvandrarnashus.se/eng/ 25.www.ballinstadt.de/en/ballinstadt.php?id=9
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Americangenealogytourismmarket.ThesamecanbesaidoftheDunbrodyEmigrantShip, CountyWexford,afullscalereplicaofan1845vesselthatcarriedthousandsofemigrants fromIrelandtoNorthAmericaoveraperiodofthirtyyears,andtheCobhHeritageCentrein Cobh,CountyCork. TheMuseumofEmigrationandtheCommunitiesisarecentPortugueseinitiative,exploring bothnineteenthcenturyemigrationtoBrazilandtwentiethcenturypopulationflows betweenPortugalandneighbouringcountriesinWesternEurope.Itdoesnot,however, addressthePortuguesecolonialdiaspora,despiteitsimportanceinopeningupAfricaand IndiatoEuropeantradersandthelongevityofthePortugueseEmpire.OtherSouthern EuropeaninitiativesincludeanemigrationmuseuminSanMarino(established1997)andthe PietroContiregionalemigrationmuseuminGualdoTadino,Italy. Migrationmuseums OneofthefewEuropeaninstitutionstoexplorethemovementofpeoplesmorebroadlyis theCentredeDocumentationsurlesMigrationsHumainesinLuxembourgwhichsince1995 hasdevelopedandhostedtemporaryexhibitionsaswellasleadinga‘livingmuseum’walkin thetownofDudelange’s‘littleItaly’neighbourhood.AprojectforaSerbianmigration museumhasrecentlybeenlaunchedinBelgrade(SrpskiMuzejrasejanjaiseoba)withaview tohelpingthepeopleofSerbianegotiatethethornyissuesofidentityanddisplacementand exileintheBalkanregion.Themuseumhasthreesections:immigration,emigrationand returnmigration(bothvoluntaryandforced).Itdescribesitsvisionas‘SerbiaintheWorld, WorldinSerbia’.AcampaignforamigrationmuseumisalsounderwayinSwitzerland(Verein MigrationsmuseumSchweiz,setupin1998). GoodpracticeandstrategiesfordevelopingmigrationmuseumsinEuropehavebeen discussedatanumberofinternationalconferencesinthelastfewyears,aphenomenonthat partiallyexplainstherapidspreadofthemodel.Ofparticularnoteare‘Museum RepresentationsofMigration’(November2003,HistoricalMuseumofRotterdam), ‘MuseumsandtheHistoryofImmigration:AQuestionforAllNations’(December2004, NationalLibrary,Paris)and‘MigrationinMuseums:NarrativesofDiversityinEurope’ (October2008,Berlin),allofwhichdreworwilldrawparticipantsfromseveralEuropean countries.TheUNESCOExpertMeetingonMigrationMuseums,whichtookplaceinRomein October2006,canalsobeconsideredalandmarkeventintermsofbringingtogether practitionersaroundthistheme.
‘Housesforculturaldialogue’:thecasestudyoftheNetherlands Ofexperiencesinothercountries,thatoftheNetherlandscorrespondsmostcloselytothe UK’s.Bothcountrieshavechosentodeveloppoliciesfocusedontherecognitionofdiversity. Bothhavelargepopulationswiththeiroriginsinformercolonies.And,critically,inbothcases officialpolicytowardstheculturesofthesepopulationshascomeunderscrutinyasa consequenceofhome-grownIslamicextremism(intheNetherlandsthemurderin2004of film-makerTheovanGoghwasakeymoment). In2006immigrantsmadeup19.3percentoftheDutchpopulation,accordingtothecentral bureauofstatistics(CouncilofEurope/ERICarts2009).Thissignificantpopulationwasfelt bymanyintheheritagesectortobeseriouslyunder-represented,bothasvisitorsandas heritagepractitioners.TheheritageoftheNetherlands’diversecommunitiesfirstbeganto beexploredinthe1980sintemporaryexhibitionsattheAmsterdamHistoricalMuseumand theMuseumofWorldCultures(Wereldmuseum)inRotterdam.In1997theNetherlands MuseumsAssociation(NMA)setupan‘InterculturalMuseumProgramme’withaviewto stimulatingprogrammesexploringthethemeofculturaldiversity.From2001–4thiswas supplementedbyaprogramme,initiatedbyagrassrootsnetworkthe‘NationalOrganization ofEthnicMinorities’andagainsupportedbytheNMAandtheMinistryofEducationand Cultureentitled‘TheCulturalHeritageofMinorities’(CultureelErfgoedMinderheden,CEM).
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Thisschemebroughttogether45differentorganisations(museums,archives,universities, communitygroups)tocollaborateonatotalof47projects,includinganexhibitionaboutthe legacyofslaveryattheWereldmuseum,Rotterdam(2003–4). Theprojectwasnotcontinuedafter2004andinsteadin2006,partlyinresponsetothe changedpoliticalclimate,theSecretaryofStateforCultureandtheSecretaryofStatefor EuropeanAffairsjointlyannouncedthecreationofa‘HouseforCulturalDialogue’,aimedto reinforcesocialcohesionthroughencouraginginterculturalexchange.Thisrepresenteda significantshiftawayfromtheearlier‘multicultural’modelwhichprioritisedthe representationofdifferentminoritycommunities.Four‘houses’orculturalcentreshavenow beensetupinAmsterdam,Rotterdam,UtrechtandTheHague,underthegroupname ‘Kosmopolis’.26 Atthesametime,facedwithanxietiesaboutthefailureofDutch‘integration’ policy,thestateisincreasinglyseekingtousethehistoryoftheNetherlandstodevelopa strongersenseofacollectiveidentityandcommonvalues.ThedesireoftheGovernmentto raiseawarenessaboutthehistoryoftheNetherlandsamongrecentmigrantsiscertainlyone ofthefactorsbehindthedecisioninJuly2007tocreateanationalhistorymuseumforthe NetherlandsinArnhem.Atthesametimemoreradicalcriticsofculturalpolicyare campaigningforthehistoryofmigrationtobeplacedattheheartofanyreworkingofDutch history:‘Whatweseeas“characteristicallyDutch”isspongedwithinternationalinfluences. Thereisnosuchthingas“theDutchidentity”.Anationalidentity,justlikeanindividualone, ismultiple,dynamicandevencontrary.Allofushavecomefromsomewhere.“Our”heritage, ourhistorycrossesborders’(Stam2005).
Europeannetworks InadditiontotheUNESCOnetworkmentionedabovethereareEuropeannetworks dedicatedtopromotingbetterunderstandingofEurope’smigrationheritage. FirstistheAssociationofEuropeanMigrationInstitutions(AEMI),foundedinDenmarkin 1989,which‘seekstoprovideitsmemberswithaninternationalforumthroughwhichthey mayadvancetheknowledgeofEuropeanmigration.’ThreeUKorganisationsarecurrently members:MerseysideMaritimeMuseum(Liverpool),theCentreforMigrationStudiesatthe Ulster-AmericanFolkPark(Omagh)andNationalMuseumsScotland.Thebenefitsthat derivefromnetworkingatEuropeanlevelontheseissues(suchasawarenessoffunding streamsandaccesstopotentialpartners–importantsinceapplicationsforEuropeancultural fundingcanonlybemadejointlybyorganisationsfromatleasttwomemberstates)donot currentlyappeartotrickledowntootherorganisationswithmigration-relatedcollections. AEMImembershaveputtogetheranonlineexhibition,‘TheArtofEuropeanMigration’, which‘presentsacollectionofimageswhichhelptotellthestoryofthemillionsofpeople whomovedfromEuropetoNorthAmericaduringthepastmillennium.’27 Theexhibitionsite ishostedbyQueen’sUniversityBelfast. AsecondgroupingisEuropeanRoutesofMigrationHeritage,anetworkoftrans-European culturalitinerariesthatretraceshistoricmigrationroutesacrossEurope.Thenetworkis managedbytheLuxembourg-basedEuropeanInstituteforCulturalRouteswhichsince1998 hasbeenchargedwithdevelopingthe‘CulturalRoutes’programmeoftheCouncilof Europe.ThereisalsoaEuropeanJewishheritageroute,androutesexploringtheCeltic, VikingandNormanheritagesinEuropeancontext. 2008wastheEuropeanYearofInterculturalDialogue.IntheUKthisfundingstreamwas usedalmostexclusivelytoleveradditionalfundingintothecelebrationsforLiverpool,Capital ofCulture.28 StrongerleadershipintheUKheritagesectorwithregardtodeveloping
26.www.kosmopolis.nl/ 27.http://aem.qub.ac.uk/index2.html# 28.www.interculturaldialogue2008.eu/546.0.html?&L=0&L=0
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Europeanpartnerships(onthemesofcommoninterestsuchasmigration)couldhelpchannel morefundsintothesectorinthefuture.Interculturaldialogueisinfactthekeythemefor theEuropeanUnion’sCultureProgrammeuntil2013,presentingobviousopportunitiesfor collaborativeworkonmigrationhistories.
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5.Theinternationalexperience:implicationsfortheUK While,asthepreviouschaptershowed,thereisalreadyawealthofexpertiseintheUKabout possibleapproachestorepresentationofmigrationinmuseumsandotherheritagesites, thereisalsoclearlymuchthatcanbelearnedfromtheseinternationalcomparisons. Firstandforemost,theextenttowhichmigrationmuseumshelpfosterinclusivenotionsof nationalheritageisdependentonthebroaderpoliticalcontextinwhichtheyareembedded. WehaveseenhowthenationalpoliticalclimatesinCanada,Franceandelsewherehave influencedthedevelopmentofbothmuseumsandthemigrationnarrativeswithinthem; collectivechoicesabouthowbesttoaccommodatedifferencewithinsocietyarereflectedin theheritagesectorasmuchifnotmorethanheritagenarrativesreshapedominantattitudes. Theextenttowhichamuseumofmigrationcanencouragebetterinterculturalrelationsmay belimitedinsituationswherebothpopularmediaandmainstreampoliticalpartiespromote ananti-migrationdiscourse,evenifovertimeamuseummaydevelopintoaforumfora questioningofthisdominantnarrative.Inshort,amigrationmuseumneedstobepartofa broaderpoliticalcommitmenttodevelopingamorepositivepublicconsensusaboutthe valueofculturaldiversityandmigrationandnotseenasan‘answer’inandofitself. Second,theFrenchexampleinparticularillustratestheneedforbothstrongcross-party leadershipoveranextendedperiodandtheexistenceofanappropriatelyresourcedproject teamifthedreamofamuseumistobecomeareality.Despitetheattractivenessofstrong leadershiptoovercomebureaucraticandpoliticalobstacles,thisapproachdoescarryarisk:a newinstitutionmaystruggletoassertitseditorialindependencefromitsmostprominent backersandtheirpolicies.High-levelbackingseemsessential,butthemuseumrequiresas broadacoalitionofsupportersaspossibleifitistoremaincredible. WithregardtopossiblemodelsfortheUK,EllisIsland,Pier21andBremerhaven’sGerman EmigrationCentrearetestimonybothtothepowerandthelimitationsofaniconicsite. TheseemblematicsitesareperhapslessobviousintheUK.Tilbury,Southamptonand Heathrow,aspointsofentryanddeparture,ratherlackmagic.Leicester,Brixtonor Spitalfieldsmaybemoreobviouschoices,butareassociatedinthepopularimaginationwith particularmigrantcommunities. Moreover,whenthinkingabouttheheritagesectorintheUKitisimportanttounderstand thedistinctionbetweenactivitiesthathappeninandthroughmuseums,archivesandhistoric housesandthewideractivityassociatedwithorganisationsandindividualswhoareactively engagedincaringforandinterpretinghistoricplaces.Manyoftheseplacesaredirectly linkedtothehistoryofmigrationbutarenotnecessarilyseenassuch,fromplacesof worshiptorailwaysandcoastline.Thearchaeologicalrecord,too,fromearlyprehistory onwardsisoverflowingwithevidenceofmigration.Indeed,itmaybethatinBritainweneed tothinkmoreintermsoficonicareasornetworksofmaterialculture(fromLondon’sEast End,toCardiff’swaterfrontandthemillsandfactoriesofBradford)thanofsingleiconic sites,likeEllisIsland.Anetworkapproachishoweverbynomeansincompatiblewitha migrationmuseum;indeed,acentralinstitutionmightactasalynchpinandhelptoincrease thevisibilityofallthesesites,astheFrenchexperienceincreasinglydemonstrates. Therearemanypossiblesolutionstothechallengeofsitingamuseum.Thestoriesthatare toldinsidecanbalanceassociationswithparticularmigratorymovementsassociatedwiththe location.Ensuringthatmuchofamuseum’sworkisundertakenawayfromafixedsitealso addressessomeofthelimitationsoftheiconicsite. Finallyandmostimportantly,ourexaminationofinternationalheritagesectorinitiatives highlightsthebreadthofcoverageaswellasmanydifferentapproachestopublic engagementandinter-culturaldialoguethathavebeenadoptedbymuseumsacrossthe world.Therearecollectionsthatcouldbeborrowedandexcitingpartnershipswaitingtobe
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developed.Therepresentationofmigrationcan,afterall,neverberestrictedtonational boundaries.Moreover,anyfutureBritishprojectwouldfinditselfintheenviablepositionof beingabletobothlearnfromthemistakesanddrawonthesuccessesofitsinternational counterparts.
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Appendix1.Keypublicationstohaveaddressedculturaldiversityintheheritagesectorin thelastdecade Publicationtitle CulturalDiversity:Attitudesof EthnicMinorityPopulations towardsMuseumsandGalleries ‘WhoseHeritage?TheImpact ofCulturalDiversityon Britain’sLivingHeritage’ (conference) HoldinguptheMirror: AddressingCulturalDiversityin London’sMuseums Reflections:MappingCultural DiversityinLondon’sLocal AuthorityMuseumCollections
Author PhillyDesai andAndrew Thomas Included keynote addressby StuartHall Helen Denniston Associates ValBott
Date 1998
Commissioningbody MuseumsandGalleries Commission
Findings/recommendations Highlightsbarrierstoaccessfor ‘ethnicminorities’.
1999
ArtsCouncilEngland, HeritageLotteryFund, MuseumsAssociation, NorthWestArtsBoard Archives,Libraries, MuseumsLondon(ALM London) ALMLondon
Identifiesneedtodevelopmore inclusivemodelofheritage.
FocusonCulturalDiversity:the ArtsinEngland
Ann Bridgwood, ClareFenn, KarenDust, LucyHutton, Adrienne Skelton, Megan Skinner
2003
ArtsCouncilEngland andOfficeforNational Statistics
EnrichingCommunities:How Archives,Librariesand MuseumscanWorkwith AsylumSeekersandRefugees (conferencepapers) WorldinOneCity
Various
2004
ALMLondon
2004
LondonArchives RegionalCouncil
NewDirectionsinSocialPolicy: CulturalDiversityforMuseums, LibrariesandArchives
TraceyHylton
2004
Museums,Librariesand ArchivesCouncil(MLA)
HandlewithCare:Towardsa DiversityStrategyforLondon’s Archives,Librariesand Museums
MichaelBell Associates
2005
ALMLondon
2003
2003
Suggestsstrategyforcollections developmentandimproving access. Mapstheuseofcollectionsinthe contextofculturallydiverse communitieswithin28museum servicesinLondon.Barriersto diversifyingcollectionsincluded lackofpoliticalsupport(from localauthorities)andlimited opportunitiesforsharingskills andexperiencewithother museums. Surveyintoattendance, participationandattitudestothe artsamongstculturallydiverse populations.Identifieshighlevels ofinterestandparticipationin theartsamongculturallydiverse communities.87percentofBlack orBritishBlackand84percent ofmixedethnicityrespondents thoughtthat‘Artsfromdifferent culturescontributealottothis country’,asdid71percentof whiterespondents. Seriesofcasestudies.
Thisstudy‘establishedapicture ofthewayinwhichthearchives sectorcurrentlyengageswith London’sBlack,Asianand minorityethniccommunities.’(No longeravailableonline) Overviewofpoliciesconcerning theterm‘culturaldiversity’both withinandoutsidethesector; briefanalysisofmaterialsand statementswhichmaybe significantinrelationtopublic policydevelopment. Emphasisesneedfordiversity policytobeembedded throughoutheritageinstitutions, includinginareassuchastraining anddevelopment.
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RevisitingCollections:AToolkit fortheCaptureofInformation toEnhancetheMeaningand SignificanceofMuseum CollectionsforNewand CulturallyDiverseAudiences DeliveringSharedHeritage,the Mayor’sCommissiononAsian andAfricanHeritage
2005
ALMLondon
Developingamethodologyfor communityinvolvementin collectionsmanagement, developmentanddescription.
2005
GLA
Recommendsactiononworkforce diversity,community-based heritage,equitablepartnerships, inclusiveeducation. ConsultancyfortheMuseumof London’s‘Reassessingwhatwe collect’project.Reviewsliterature onculturaldiversityandmakes recommendationsforcollections strategies. ConsultancyfortheMuseumof London’s‘Reassessingwhatwe collect’project.Identifiesthe needtoworkwithmorecomplex, cross-cuttingmodelsofdifference andmakessuggestionsastohow thismightbedoneinthecontext oftheMuseumofLondon. Recommendsthateachnational museumappointamemberofthe seniormanagementteamto overseeculturaldiversitypolicy. Recommendssupporting communitycollectingand ‘personalmuseums’;‘an internationaloutreachprogramme tocapturethestoriesof migrationandsettlementfrom Britishémigrésabroad’;‘culture boxes’fornewarrivalstoUK;a one-worldinternational programmetotakestoriesoflife inBritaintopeoples’home countrymuseums;‘culture gateways’curatedbyheritage organisationsatpointsofentryto theUK(ports,airports);a ‘blockbuster’exhibitionexploring questionsofcitizenshipand identityandbuildingonmaterial developedacrossUK. Museumsasthe‘buildingblocks ofbelonging’.
OurLives,OurHistories,Our Collections
LolaYoung
2005
MuseumofLondon
UnearthingourPast:Engaging withDiversityattheMuseum ofLondon
Raminder Kaur
2005
MuseumofLondon
2005
NationalMuseum DirectorsConference
2006
CampaignforLearning inMuseumsand Galleries(CLMG), HomeOffice
2006
DCMS
2006
Engage:TheNational AssociationforGallery Education
CulturalDiversityInterim Report(unpublished)
CultureShock…Tolerance Respect,Understandingand Museums
UnderstandingtheFuture: PrioritiesforEngland’s Museums Diversity
ChrisWood andHannah Gould
KarenRaney
Identifiesthecurrentstrategies forembeddingdiversityinart institutions.Profilesworkof galleryeducators,artists,curators, fundersengagingwiththe diversityagenda.Highlights obstacles.
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ArtsCouncilEngland:Diversity –TheJourney
Tony Panayioutou
2006
Engage:TheNational AssociationforGallery Education
DiversityanditsDiscontents
KarenRaney
2006
Engage:TheNational AssociationforGallery Education
CulturalDiversityinBritain:A ToolkitforCross-CulturalCooperation
PhilWood, Charles Landryand Jude Bloomfield
2006
JosephRowntree Foundation
HeritageDiversityTaskForce workingpapers(unpublished)
Various
2007–8
GLA
KnowledgeandInspiration:A StrategyforArchive,Library andMuseumCollectionsin London
CarolineReed
2008
ALMLondon
ArtsandRefugees:History, ImpactandFuture
Hybrid
2008
Interculturalism:Theoryand Policy
Malcolm Jones
2008
ArtsCouncilEngland, BaringFoundation,Paul HamlynFoundation BaringFoundation
2008
LondonMuseumsHub
KeepingCultures:Reporton theLondonMuseumsHub RefugeeHeritageProject
Givesanaccountofthegainsto dateintermsofprogrammes, events,fundingandequality schemeslinkedtoblackand minorityethnicgroupsand artists. Summarisesaseminarofstrong opinionsagainstthepigeonholing exerciseartistsandcuratorsmust undergoinordertosecure funding. Culturaldiversityissomething whichshouldbeexploredforits advantage,ratherthanbeing assumedtobeaproblemfor societytodealwith.Arguesthat nationalgovernmenthasfailedto respondtocommunitycohesion inajoined-upwaysofar. Recommendsgovernment adoptingastrategyforproductive diversity,localauthorities developing‘interculturalspaces andplaces’andrevisionstothe teachingofmulticulturalismin schools,tomakeit‘applicableto allcommunities,includingthe indigenouspopulation’. Suggestswaysinwhichthe recommendationsof‘Delivering SharedHeritage’(seeabove)can beimplemented. Givescollectionsdiversityasakey strategicobjective:‘By2010, archives,librariesandmuseums willbebetterequippedand supportedtorespondtothe needsofLondon’sdiverse communities,providing LondonersandvisitorstoLondon withopportunitiestobuild knowledgeandcohesion, understandsharedhistoriesand celebrateLondon’sunique identityasaworldcity.’ Mappingexercise,exploringthe waysinwhichartsorganisations areworkingwithrefugeegroups. Summarisesacademicliterature oninterculturalismandthe implicationsforpolicy. Identifies‘strongsigns’that culturalinclusionhasabearingon socialinclusion;museumscan helpovercomebarrierstosocial inclusion;thereis‘appetite’ amongvisitorsformuseums sharingdifferentcultures;anda methodologyforlong-term evaluation.
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Appendix2.Summarytableofinternationalheritageinitiatives Note:projectsthatappearinitalicsareeithernotyetcompletedorarestillunderdiscussion. Country UnitedStates
Museums •EllisIsland,NewYork,1990 •LowerEastSideTenementMuseum, NewYork,1988 •DreamsofFreedom(Immigration Museum),Boston •Variouscommunitymuseumse.g. ChineseAmericanMuseum,LosAngeles •Migrationintegraltovariousnational museums,includingtheSmithsonian NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory andtheNationalMuseumofthe AmericanIndian •‘CanadaHall’inCanadianMuseumof Civilization,Gatineau,1989 •Pier21,Halifax,1999 •MigrationMuseum,Adelaide,1986 •ImmigrationMuseum,Melbourne,1998 •Variouscommunitymuseumse.g. GermanMigrationMuseum,Hahndorf •MigrationalsointegraltoNational MuseumofAustralia,Canberra,2001 •MigrationintegraltoMuseumofNew Zealand–TePapaTongawera •ElHoteldelosImmigrantes,Buenos Aires,1990 •Citénationaledel’histoirede l’immigration(nationalimmigration museum),Paris,2007 •MuseumofFrenchEmigrationto Canada,Tourouvre,2006[1987] •MigrationintegraltoMuseumof EuropeanandMediterranean Civilisations,Marseille •Immigrationmuseum,Farum, Copenhagen,1997
Archives •Variouscommunity archivese.g.Ukrainian AmericanArchives
Otherinitiatives -
-
-
-
•MigrationHeritage Centre,Powerhouse Museum,Sydney
-
-
-
-
•Génériques,independent archiveofimmigration history,Paris,1987
-
•DanishEmigration Archives,Aalborg,1932
-
Sweden
•TheHouseofEmigrants,Växjö,1968
-
Spain Italy
•Immigrationmuseum,Catalonia •Discussionsunderwayaboutnational immigrationmuseum •PietroContiregionalemigration museum,GauldoTadino •DokumentationszentrumundMuseum überdieMigrationinDeutschland (DOMiD),Köln,since2007 •GermanEmigrationCentre, Bremerhaven,2005 •Emigrationmuseum,Hamburg •EmigrationMuseum,Peraseinajoki
•Immigrationarchiveand resourcecentre,Borås (includessmallmuseum), 1973 -
•Hamburg •Oldenburg •Bredstedt
-
-
-
Canada
Australia
NewZealand Argentina France
Denmark
Germany
Finland
-
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Country
Museums
Archives
Otherinitiatives
Norway
-
-
-
-
SanMarino
•NorwegianEmigrantMuseum,Hamar, 1988 •MuseumofEmigrationandthe Communities,virtualmuseum: www.museu-emigrantes.org/,2001 •Emigrationmuseum,1997
-
-
Ireland
•CobhHeritageCentre,CountyCork
-
Luxembourg
-
-
Serbia Netherlands
•Migrationmuseum •Placeofmigrationintheforthcoming nationalhistorymuseumcurrentlyunder discussion
-
•DunbrodyEmigrant Ship,CountyWexford, 2005 •Documentationcentre onmigrations,Dudelange, 1995 •Housesofcultural dialogue(Kosmopolis), since2006
Portugal
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