B9067 - COMUNICARE LA STORIA NATURALE UMANA NEI LUOGHI DELLA SCIENZA

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student will have acquired knowledge on the evolution of scientific thought and the role of anthropological collections in the study of human evolution; the origin and historical development of anthropological collections and museums, as well as their significance in relation to the emergence of anthropology as an independent discipline between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the evolution of its paradigms; the concepts of anthropological, critical or dissonant heritage, and the sustainability of its management; the ethical aspects related to the research, preservation, and exhibition of sensitive remains, in compliance with current regulations; the use of digital technologies in the management of anthropological collections; the various institutional contexts in Italy responsible for managing anthropological museums and collections. By the end of the course, the student will be able to: recognize and promote the historical and scientific value of anthropological collections in research, education, and the dissemination of knowledge on human evolutionary history; foster scientific communication and develop specific educational pathways on topics related to human evolution; engage in current debates on restitution, decolonization, digitization, and other issues linked to the rapid technological and cultural transformations of contemporary societies; identify challenges, opportunities, and potentialities of anthropological collections, proposing sustainable solutions and pathways.

Course contents

Introduction to human evolution

The origins of Anthropology, anthropological institutions, scientific museums, and anthropological museum collections

The origins of Anthropology, anthropological institutions, scientific museums, and anthropological museum collections

Anthropological and ethnographic collections in Italian museums of Anthropology

From racial and racist paradigms to the modern understanding of humanity's place in the natural world and the contemporary relevance of anthropological collections

The Italian Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, the Faro Convention, natural, cultural, and dissonant heritage

Ethical issues in the research, curation, conservation, and exhibition of anthropological remains and collections

The application of digital technologies to the study of human skeletal remains

The Horizone Europe COLUMN Project, the "Lidio Cipriani" facial cast collection, and the decolonization of museums

Readings/Bibliography

MG Belcastro, G Manzi, J Moggi (a cura di) - Quel che resta. Scheletri e altri resti umani come beni culturali. Ed. Il Mulino, Bologna, 2022

Falcucci B - L'impero nei musei. Storie di collezioni coloniali italiane. Pacini Ed., 2025

Zagatti P - Una scomoda eredità. L'africano negli studi antropologici fra Otto e Novecento. Biblioteca Clueb, 2025

Teaching methods

Lectures, practical activities in the classroom and at the Museum of Anthropology - Seminar sessions

Assessment methods

Presentation or video on a topic related to a theoretical and/or practical museum experience, to be agreed upon with the teacher. The presentation or video may also be prepared and delivered as group work.

 

Regarding assessment, the use of AI is prohibited. Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

PC, Video presentation

Office hours

See the website of Maria Giovanna Belcastro