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“Perspectives on religion in a museum context”

Ph.D.-project under project "Religion - Living Heritage".
PhD student Sanne Andersen Hansen.

"Perspectives on religion in a museum context"
  

The PhD project will, based on the theoretical and methodological perspectives on religion and museums, analyze concrete examples of how religion is included as a perspective in museum work in order to discuss, which conceptions of religion are activated by visitors and staff in the museum context.

The PhD project will be particularly linked to the activities of Den Gamle By, an Open Air Museum, Aarhus in collaboration with the Center for Contemporary Religion, University of Aarhus.

The project will involve studies of visitors' interpretation and interaction with selected cases before, during and after the implementation of relevant concrete projects. Focus groups will also be included, which will have representatives from different religious and cultural backgrounds.

The PhD project will be specially linked to the specific work processes in connection with the further development of the pre-industrial section of Den Gamle By (contact person: Superintendent Martin Djupdræt) and the sub-project "Danish home with new eyes" (contact person: Museum inspector Anneken Laursen). The PhD project will involve consideration of different types of museums and the use of the religious perspective in different contexts.

The project will involve the development and implementation of questionnaires, interviews and participant observation, as well as analysis of exhibitions. The PhD project will serve as the central joint point of contact for the museum and university context with continuous presentation of the work in connection with the planned joint workshops.

The PhD project will include international stays in international environments, both in a university and museum context. This contact has been established through the project's advisory board and partners.