Paper Short Abstract:

This paper explores how museums reproduce nature-culture dichotomies, why this is problematic and how, through educating future museum professionals and furthering nature-inclusive museum practices we can include different ways of knowing and question anthropocentrist hegemonies in museums.

Paper Abstract:

Culture-nature dichotomies are reproduced in and through museums on many levels: types of museums, exhibition styles and general lack of recognition of ecological infrastructure and interconnectedness. Previous research has shown that historical storytelling plays a key role in how we perceive and act upon climate change and biodiversity loss, through the widely described shifting baseline syndrome. The shifting baseline syndrome describes the process wherein every human generation perceives the situation wherein they grow up as normal. Using this as a starting point, this paper explores different strands that might inspire disruptive practices targeting anthropocentrist and speciesist hegemonies. I reflect on the potential of ‘nature-inclusive museum practices’ as common aim to connect different museum-disciplines in articulating practice-based development questions. Finally I will reflect on what ethics, theory and practice come to the fore to make change on nature-culture dichotomies through museum work.