Exhibiting Race and Prejudice. Displaying social issues and the politics of activism in two Norwegian museums.

This thesis examines how two Norwegian museums respond to divisive discourses and social issues in the Norwegian society. The last few years has seen an upsurge in polarising discourses in Norwegian news, politics, and social media following an increased flow of immigrants and refugees into Norway. Far-right, as well as Neo-Nazi movements are on the rise in all of the Nordic countries, and everyday racism and prejudice is a growing problem. With this situation as a backdrop, the aim of the thesis has been to shed light on how these issues can be responded to by Norwegian museums through the use of two case-studies: the exhibition Typical at the Intercultural Museum, and FOLK: from racial types to DNA sequences at the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, both located in Oslo. Through the use of interviews with museum staff and visual analyses of the exhibitions, I have intended to analyse how the exhibitions communicate certain statements meant to influence visitors in relation to specific topics, as well as how aims and concerns when working with issues like these are expressed by the museum staff. Through the use of theoretical frameworks such as activist museum practice and governmentality, I argue that, through historicizing and contextualising social issues such as racism and prejudice, the exhibitions can function as contemplative spaces where visitors are provided with tools in order to become more self-reflective, as well as being able to participate in public debates. At the same time, the exhibitions are a part of a larger focus on the societal role of museums, where museums are instrumental in that they are attempting to influence visitors in certain directions in line with governmental guidelines. As such, the aim has been to examine how the museums respond to social issues, as well as the political, structural and social forces which both enable and limits such responses