Cultural Historical Activity Theory; Dialectical Critical Realism; Eco-decolonial; Museology; Ontology; Transformation;

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85126838404&doi=10.1080%2f14767430.2022.2031788&partnerID=40&md5=f59600ac4787959b1b8bfa424d33c072

Museum practice remains rooted in its historical ontology of nature-culture dualism. This article moves beyond this dualism by combining Bhaskar’s dialectical MELD schema with cultural historical activity theory. It therefore provides an iterative, practical pathway towards a new, ecological-decolonial mode of museology that potentially disrupts normalized practice and generates new possibilities for museums to offer people agency. A situated turn for museum practice is thus envisioned, with a focus on people as complex social-ecological entities. Specifically, this involves a dialectical relationship between peoples’ stories, or intangible heritage, and the core museum activity of collecting.