The museum sector as an actor in human security

Abstract

The global museum sector is in a process of redefining and expanding its work areas. A main reason for this is cultural heritage as a growing issue in human security, and protection as a transnational cross-sectoral topic. Based on interviews this article examines how museum actors experience the sector’s role within the nexus of cultural heritage and human security in armed conflict. The article addresses the sector as a dynamic network of transnational organisations navigating in geopolitical and -cultural agendas arguing that this new role is not institutionalised and largely depends on individual interest and political agendas. This results in a disparity in allocation of protection responses and funding where the major Euro-American museums are frontrunners in understanding and performing the new role while the museum sector as a whole lacks an international system. Consequently, heritage protection in general should be incorporated in international humanitarian strategies and stabilisation work.

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