Special Topics in Museology I: Heritage as Source of Information

Lectures will be aimed at getting to know the heritage object, especially the museum object as a source of information. In doing so, we will focus in particular on the hermeneutic and semiotic aspects of interpretation. We will first focus on the problem of interpretation itself, its definition and significance in the context of humanistic research. We will get to know the concept of the hermeneutic spiral and deal with the difference between explanation and interpretation. Special attention will be paid to the problem of interpreting objects as texts. In the following, we will discuss the notion of pragmatic and semantic meaning of an object and compare the disadvantages and advantages of using de Saussure's and Peirce's definition of sign in the interpretation of material culture.

During the seminar, we will discuss several foreign and domestic examples, with the help of which we will try to present the subject in a tangible way as a source of information. Examples will be presented in the form of classic presentations with pictorial material, films and visits to selected museums and heritage sites. As part of the independent seminar work, the participants, divided into smaller groups, will get to know the process of interpretation of the selected heritage object through individual stages. The presentation of their results and the accompanying discussion will be followed by the preparation of a joint proposal for the interpretation of the heritage site in question.

Basic Readings - General
• Wilhelm Dilthey: Zgradba zgodovinskega sveta v duhoslovnih znanostih, Ljubljana: Nova revija, 2002. COBISS.SI-ID - 121287424
• Hans Georg Gadamer: Resnica in metoda. Zbirka Labirinti, Ljubljana: Literarno-umetniško društvo Literatura, 2001. COBISS.SI-ID - 110661376
• Martin Heidegger: Bit in čas, Ljubljana: Slovenska matica, 1997. COBISS.SI-ID - 69333760
• Ferdinand de Saussure: Predavanja iz splošnega jezikoslovja, Ljubljana: ISH Fakulteta za podiplomski humanistični študij, 1997. COBISS.SI-ID - 71188992
• Charles Sanders Peirce: Teorija znaka in pomena, v: Charles Sanders Peirce: Izbrani spisi o teoriji znaka in pomena ter pragmaticizmu. Knjižna zbirka Temeljna dela, Ljubljana: Krtina, 2004, str. 10-65. COBISS.SI-ID - 217372928
• Paul Ricoeur: The Model of Text. Meaningful Action Considered as a Text, New Literary History 5 (1), 1973, str. 91-117. https://www.jstor.org/journal/newlitehist

Basic Readings - Museology
• Charles Saumarez Smith: Museums, Artefacts, and Meanings, v: Peter Vergo (ed.): The New Museology, London: Reaktion Books, 1989, str. 6-21. COBISS.SI-ID - 48269410
• Carol Duncan: Civilizing Rituals: Inside Public Art Museums, London, New York: Routledge 1995. COBISS.SI-ID - 55584768
• David Brett: The Construction of Heritage, Cork: Cork University Pres, 1996. knjiga bo v COBISS vpisana v roku tedna dni
• Kevin Walsh: The Representation of the Past: Museums and Heritage in the Post-Modern World, London, New York: Routledge 1997. COBISS.SI-ID - 48271714
• Eilean Hooper-Greenhill: Museums and the Interpretation of Visual Culture, London, New York: Routledge, 2000. COBISS.SI-ID - 395654
• Eilean Hooper-Greenhill: Museums and the Shaping of Knowledge, London, New York: Routledge 2001. COBISS.SI-ID - 48272226 Required readings depend on the theme of the course in the relevant academic year. The list is announced together with the theme at the beginning of the academic year.Izhodiščni priročniki / Reference Books for Basic Orientation.
• Laurajane Smith: The Uses of Heritage, Routledge 2006. COBISS.SI-ID - 512536874
• David Lowenthal: The Past is a Foreign Country, Cambridge 1985. COBISS.SI-ID - 48259426
• Kevin Walsh: The Representation of the Past: Museums and Heritage in the Post-Modern World, Routledge 1997. COBISS.SI-ID - 185964
• Eilean Hoope-Greenhill: Museums and the Shaping of Knowledge, Routledge 2001. COBISS.SI-ID - 48272226