Museums without Object: ‘Revolutionary Museums’ in Midwestern Nepal

Seminar presented by Dr Stefanie Lotter (SOAS, University of London) as part of the SOAS Anthropology and Sociology Department Seminar Series

The seminar series is funded by a grant from UKRI. SOAS launched its Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA) this year, as a centre that aims to foster collaborations between anthropology and mental health research and practice.

Abstract

Twenty years after Nepal’s civil war, a vast memorial landscape has been developed across the remote villages of Rokum and Rolpa, the former core areas of the Maoist revolution. The central government finances heritage sites to commemorate the conflict and celebrate the revolution through museums, exhibitions, memorial parks and dioramas.

This presentation explores how forgetting and remembering are locally navigated between personal memories and distant bureaucratic planning.

Speaker

Dr Stefanie Lotter (SOAS) is an anthropologist and museum professional working on Nepal. Her recent research projects focused on post-earthquake and post-war heritagisation ‘After the earth’s violent sway’ (GCRF/AHRC); ‘Heritage as Placemaking’ (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond); and harmful menstrual exclusion as heritage ‘Dignity without Danger’ (GCRF/BA).

Registration

The event is free to attend, but external/non-SOAS visitor are required to sign up via the link at the top of the page in order to support smooth and timely access to SOAS.

Image (inset): created in Canva with brand kit elements