Reflections of a Culture Broker
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Reflections of a Culture Broker by Richard Kurin
Is culture brokered like stocks, real estate, or marriage? In this book, Richard Kurin shows that cultures are always mediated and indeed brokered by countries, organizations, communities, and individuals-each with their own vision of the truth and varying abilities to impose it on others.
Written by the director of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Studies, this book is not an "official" accounting of Smithsonian policies, activities, and decisions but a personal essay based on firsthand knowledgeIntending to present a sorely needed casebook of professional practice for "culture brokers," Kurin offers a descriptive and analytic view of the process by which various types of major cultural presentations such as exhibits, museums, and festivals are developed, enacted, and situated. Regarding the Enola Gay controversy, he discusses the complex concept of "the search for truth and narrative" within "multiparadigmatic, deconstructed frameworks that make multiple versions of reality a fact of life." Kurin concludes that curation is process-oriented, not static, and is "a proactive effort to serve the public, increase understandability, and use the museum as a vehicle of inter- and intracultural communication." This down-to-earth, enjoyable, and thought-provoking title is highly recommended.? (from Library Journal; Jennifer L.S. Moldwin, Detroit Inst. of Arts Lib. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Richard Kurin is director of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies and oversees the Festival of American Folklife, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and a variety of cultural education programs that have won Academy, Emmy, and Grammy awards.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781560987574 |
| ISBN 10 | 156098757X |
| Title | Reflections of a Culture Broker |
| Author | Richard Kurin |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Smithsonian Books |
| Year published | 1997-11-17 |
| Number of pages | 332 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |