Participate!

Call for Participation

Museums as Ritual Sites presents an interdisciplinary scholarly effort. It consists of two parts: 1) an edited volume to be published in 2025, to honor the thirtieth anniversary of Carol Duncan’s book Civilizing Rituals. 2) an online platform (this website!). We are convinced there are many voices to be heard and perspectives to be shared. In the years leading up to the publication of the volume, this project website will feature blogs, interviews, photo and/ or video essays in which you can present your thoughts and ideas about the ritual functioning of museums today.

Submit a proposal

If you would like to share your reconsideration of Civilizing Rituals, we encourage you to do so! Please send an abstract (300 words), a short bio (max. 150 words), and indicate the type of contribution you’d like to make (blog, interview, photo essay, etc.). We are open to suggestions!

Send your ideas via email to project coordinator Lieke Wijnia: l.wijnia@catharijneconvent.nl . We aim to send an update about your participation within a month of receipt.

Timeline

This project was launched in 2020, the year that the COVID19-crisis changed the face of the globe, including the way museums can (and wish to) operate. The future of museums is currently both unpredictable and open for transformation. Although at this stage it is uncertain where the museum world is heading, we have seen that visual art, cultural expression, and heritage are of vital importance in human well-being and interaction. Therefore, this project is not only one of reflection but also one of anticipation.

By launching the project in that moment, a substantial period of time is available for the production of contributions. A schedule will be finalized once your contribution is confirmed. The project website will be updated when new contributions come in; the volume will be produced over the upcoming years. Depending on funding opportunities, possibilities for an in-person or online conference are explored, to mark the conclusion of the project.