contact zone

is a space of colonial encounters museums, ethnological exhibitions, tourist sites, art-show seminars, cultural studies conferences, where cultures can exploit the museum as much as the museum exploits them.

The term 'contact zone' comes from the writing of Mary Louise Pratt, and refers to the space of colonial encounters. Professor Clifford uses this term to rethink the museum's role in relation to other cultures. His intention is to challenge and rework that relationship, which is normally perceived as that of one-sided imperialist appropriation. He proposes instead that the museum can become a space which benefits both it and the cultures whose artifacts it shows. In Clifford's model these cultures can exploit the museum as much as themuseum exploits them.' (net)contact zones' ethnological exhibitions, tourist sites, art-show seminars, museum consultancies, cultural studies conferences, travelers' hotels.

contact zone, n.Definitions

contact zone