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Project MINJU - Institute of Sociological Research

Research Project Name: Minority Heritage, Social Inclusivity, and Epistemic Justice in Asian Museum Representations (MINJU Project)

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• Dr. Peter Bille Larsen, Senior Lecturer, �����˴�ý (Principal Investigator)

• Dr. Kook Sungha, Associate Professor, Yonsei �����˴�ý (Co-researcher)

• Dr. Aliche Tilche, Associate Professor, �����˴�ý of Leicester (Co-researcher)

• Dr. Huong Thu Nguyen, Associate Professor, Vietnam National �����˴�ý of Hanoi (Co-researcher)

• Ms. Jemy Anna Jacob, Masters Student, �����˴�ý (Research Assistant)

Geographic Focus: India, South Korea and, Vietnam

Project Timeline: April 2025 - October 2025

Grant Agency/Type of Financing: Korean National Commission for UNESCO

Research Description:

Linking museums and cultural diversity has been described as a “persistent challenge” (Ang 2018). While there are distinct bodies of literature dealing with different minorities from LGBTQ+ to religious and ethnic minorities, on the one hand, and national histories and nation building on the other, this project seeks to link the two with a focus on representations, national identity narratives and decolonial inclusivity. By reaching out to both museums professionals, reviewing exhibition practice and speaking to minority representatives and CSOs the project explores how minority inclusivity and justice issues are being shaped, negotiated and enacted in contemporary Asian museum contexts. In particular, the project aims to identify continuities and change in representations and narrative practice under new decolonial, inclusive and fairness-oriented approaches. How, indeed, do museums negotiate the tensions between national narratives and social justice discourses? What are the continuities and shifts in the roles museums play in shaping minority identities?

This research initiative project aims to lay the groundwork for a long-term, comparative research project on how national museums represent minority heritage and social justice issues in Asian context. The pilot will focus on three countries and selected museums within South, Southeast and East Asia; India, Vietnam and Korea. This exploratory comparative study will form the foundation for future, more extensive research. The innovative and timely nature of this initiative lies in its comparative approach, mapping the shifting politics of museum representation amid rapidly evolving social and political landscapes.