Sample Course Syllabus
Here is a syllabus from one of the many courses offered by the Museum Studies Department.
MUSM310 – Issues in Repatriation
Fall 2008
Mon/Wed, 1:00-2:15 pm, Southeast (SE) Room
Instructor: Jessie Ryker-Crawford
Office Hours & Location: Mon/Wed, 10:00am-12:00pm or by appointment
Telephone: Office: 424-2361, Cell: 577-8787
E-mail: jryker@iaia.edu
Class Schedule & Readings
August 25 Course Introduction; Brief Overview of NAGPRA; To Repatriate or Not to Repatriate: That is the Question
The first-hand experience – critical decision making, keeping the professional self intact in the face of highly emotional circumstances; in-class project
Readings:
“The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act” by Jack Trope in Mending the Circle, pp. 9-19
Mending the Circle ‘Preface’ by Walter R. Echo-Hawk, pp. 1-2
Mending the Circle ‘Introduction’ by Suzan Shown Harjo, pp. 3-7
8/27 NAGPRA vs. State Protection Statutes: What are the Differences?
Discussion on which states have adopted state statutes, how they support/fall short of NAGPRA laws (case studies: California, Texas)
Assignment due in two weeks: Choose a state, and find its burial protection statutes and/or repatriation statutes. Answer the handout questions on that state’s law(s). *If the state has no statutes in place, please choose another state. For shortened versions (which is fine) go to the “Indian Burial and Sacred Grounds Watch” website at http://www.ibsgwatch.imagedjinn.com/learn/lawsstate.htm
Readings:
“Statutory Survey: A Survey of State Repatriation and Burial Protection Statutes” by Catherine Bergin Yalung & Laurel I. Wala in The Arizona State Law Journal
“New California repatriation law includes enforcement teeth” by James May in Indian Country Today
The University of Texas at San Antonio Repatriation Policy
September 1 No class: Labor Day
9/3 Gallery Work: IAIA “Art-In” Exhibit
Reading:
“Anthropologists and Other Friends” by Vine Deloria, Jr. in Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto, pp. 83-104
9/8 Assignment Due: Student findings and continued discussion on state statutes, and:
Towards an Indigenous Form of Archaeology
Changing views on cultural stewardship, from the late 1950s to present
Handout Reading (*please just “scan” this document so that you know what an inventory looks like – to be discussed in class)
The National Museum of Natural History’s inventory of cultural items associated with the Wounded Knee Massacre
9/10 Museum “Inventory” as a Tool for the Enactment of NAGPRA
How do museums compile an inventory of culturally sensitive material within their collections? How do we access these inventories, and how are they utilized within the enactment of NAGPRA?
Legal Handouts (*please simply “scan” through the following legal handouts for the next couple of weeks – we will go over them in class…but I’m not kidding, at least look at them! This is a lot of paper to waste! I really mean it, darn it!):
Albany Plan of Union
US Constitution
Dawes Act
Antiquities Act
Textbook Reading:
“The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act: Background and Legislative History” *Read pp. 18-33
9/15 American Laws that Lead Up to NAGPRA: The 1776 US Constitution, the 1887 Dawes Act & the 1906 Antiquities Act
Legal Handouts:
Meriam Report (condensed version)
Historic Sites Act
Reservoir Salvage Act
Textbook Reading:
“The ‘Civilizing Process’ Before the 1920s”, *read pp. 58-62, up to “The Federal Antiquities Act of 1906
9/17 More American Laws: The 1928 Meriam Report, the 1935 Historic Sites Act & the 1960 Reservoir Salvage Act
Legal Handouts:
National Historic Preservation Act
American Indian Religious Freedom Act
Archaeological Resources Protection Act
Textbook Reading:
“The ‘Civilizing Process’” continued, *read pp. 62-74, up to “The 1970s: Red Power, Religious Freedom, and Cultural Property Issues”
9/24 Gallery Work: Fall 2008 Art in the Raw
Textbook Reading:
“History of the Repatriation Movement, 1880s to 1970s”, *read pp. 47-58, up to “The ‘Civilizing Process’ before the 1920s”
9/29 Finally! The Wrap-up of American Laws: The 1966 National Historic Preservation Act, the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act & the 1979 Archaeological Resources Protection Act
Textbook Reading:
“The 1970s: Red Power, Religious Freedom, and Cultural Property Issues”, pp. 79-84, starting at “American Religious Freedom Act of 1978”
October 1 The Cheyenne Sand Creek Massacre Repatriation
Video: Sand Creek Massacre
10/6 Mixed Blessings: The Repatriation of Umo’ho’ti
The return of Sacred Objects that no longer have their Ceremony intact
Video: Return of the Sacred Pole
Readings for after midterms:
Various articles (I’m not about to tell you how many…you may then decide to skip today’s class)
10/8 Midterm Exam Review
Midterm Exam Week:
10/13 Student Burn-out
“I’ll Bring the Popcorn and Soda, You Bring the Candy” Day
Or, for college accreditation purposes:
Dealing with highly culturally sensitive issues with traditional native humor
Video: TBA
10/15 Midterm Test
10/20 Gallery Work: 1st Fall 2008 Senior Thesis Exhibit
10/22 Bone Burning, Taco Bell Bags and Other Horror Stories
I’m too geshlupped…talk amongst yourselves
Readings:
“Hopis claim ancient kinship to Apache lands” in Fort Apache Scout
“Smithsonian returning remains, burial objects” in Confederated Umatilla Journal
Others, as well
10/27 Differing Belief Systems and Multiple Tribal Claims
Why pre- and post-repatriation efforts must be carried out on a case-by-case basis; why, due to the wording of NAGPRA, tribal affiliation becomes an issue; a look at cases that have been successfully negotiated between two or more tribes, and a look at some that may never come to an acceptable conclusion
Readings:
“Please Don’t Feed the Works of Art: Unusual Consequences of NAGPRA
Legislation for Museum Policy” by Annette Anderson in Art Newspaper
10/29 Museum as Caretakers and Repositories: The Respectful Treatment of Collections
A look at the growing collaboration between museums and tribes, as well as a discussion as to when and why tribes decide not to repatriate ceremonial objects or human remains
“Bones of Contention: Kennewick Man Should be Open to Scientific Examination” from azcentral.com website
“How many dead Indians will satisfy feds and scientists?” by Suzan Shown
Harjo in Indian Country Today
“Kennewick Man Heads for the Lab” by Jerry Reynolds in Indian Country Today
November 3 Whose Past, and Who Owns it?…Kennewick Man
Introduction to the infamous case and a look at arguments from both sides
11/5 Nobody Recognized Me at the Party Without My CID Card
Non-federally recognized tribes and NAGPRA, tribes no longer residing in their traditional land base
Readings:
“Tribe successfully sues man for recording sacred ceremony; Artist says he had elder’s permission” by Sam Lewin in Native American Times
11/10 Veteran’s Day observed, no classes
11/12 Gallery Work: 2nd Fall 2008 Senior Thesis Exhibit
11/17 Cultural Property vs. Intellectual Property
A comparison of the two laws, how they differ, and what they mean to tribal repatriation rights
Readings:
“Scotland may repatriate 1890s Ghost Dance Shirt” by Avis Little Eagle in Indian Country Today
“Return of Ghost Dance shirt derailed” by Avis Little Eagle in Indian Country Today
“Return to Wounded Knee: The Glasgow Experience of Repatriation” by Mark O’Neill
11/19 The Repatriation of a Lakota Ghost Dance Shirt from Scotland
Building working partnerships through cultural exchange, replicas, and other positive enactments
Readings:
ACPAC’s resolutions and arguments from their website (no longer available), pp. 1-12
AAPA’s position statement on the Native American Technical Corrections Act
Friends of America’s Past mission statement
11/24 And Now for Something Completely Different: NAGPRA Opponents
A critical look at arguments against NAGPRA;
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: please be prepared to critique some of the anti-NAGPRA arguments (please include personal agreements as well as disagreements)
11/26 Study Day
December 1 Final Exam Review
12/3 Gallery Work: Student Winter Exhibit
Final Exam Week – Final Test on Tuesday, December 9th
Winter Break!!!! See you in the Spring!
MUSM355 – Developing Public Awareness: Education & Outreach
Spring 2008
Wednesday 6:00-8:30pm, Southeast Classroom
Instructor: Jessie Ryker-Crawford
Office Hours & Location: Wednesday 1:00-3:00pm or by appointment
Telephone & e-mail: Office: 424-2361, Cell: 577-8787 E-mail: jryker@iaia.edu
Class Schedule & Readings
Jan. 23 Course introduction
Syllabus & course outline, docent, midterm & final projects, Saturday field trips & grading
Introduction to the Museum Education Field
What is a Museum Educator? A short history of museum education and the philosophies behind American museum education, contested realms and new philosophies
Reading:
“Working in Diverse Communities” in Museum & Gallery Education: a Manual of Good Practice; pp. 56-76
1/30 The Museum’s Interpretive (and Healing) Role Within the Community
Who is the “community?” How do we reach a multi-cultural audience, what forms of cultural education can we share, and how do we accomplish this?
Exhibitions and interpretive frameworks as sites for healing
Readings:
“The Museum Educator” in Museum Educator’s Handbook; pp. 19-36
various children’s activity handouts
Feb. 6 Midterm Project: IAIA Museum Native Elders Program Children’s Activity Book
With guest instructors Lorraine Schechter & Marla Redcorn-Miller
Planting the seed & overview, storytelling & visual correlates (the relationship between storytelling and visual forms), conducting the research
Guest artist/storyteller TBA
2/13 Selecting the Object Image
Guest instructors Lorraine, Marla & Janice St. Marie
Review and discussion, visit to the IAIA Library and the IAIA Museum collection database, selecting the object; question to think about: What was your favorite children’s book? Why and how did it impact you? (and once we are looking at the IAIA Museum’s collection): Will the image of your chosen object produce well? What kinds of narratives does the object generate? Can a story be told about the technique involved in how the artist produced the art piece?
Homework: Write a short narrative about your chosen object (1st draft)…describe, analyze & interpret!
2/20 Development of the Content, Standards & Benchmarks
Guest instructors Lorraine & Marla
Discussion on storytelling and story development; learning rubrics and using the Standards & Benchmarks model
Homework: Storytelling methods: which one will you utilize? Begin the interviewing and research process, start writing the narrative
2/27 Development of Questions and Activities
Guest instructors Lorraine & Marla
Developing questions and answers for children and parents to discuss together, samples of successful and not-so-successful activity packs, classroom discussion and reflection about the project
Homework: Create the 4-section page design with object image, narrative, questions-and-answers, and activity; revise your narrative if necessary
Saturday, March 1st – Visit to the Children’s Museum
Meet in the Classroom at 9:30am
March 5 Finalization of Project
Guest instructors Lorraine, Marla and Janice
Packaging the project and presenting it to the designer: Janice will come in to aid us in the final draft and green line!!!
Midterm Exam Week – Storytelling Project presentations on Wednesday,
March 13th; projects due at the end of class
Spring Break – no class until Wednesday, March 26th
3/26 Creating the Museum Experience
Informal learning, controlling interpretation, creating interpretive frameworks
Reading TBA
April 2 Creating the Museum Experience, cont.
Mediating techniques, outreach programs, teacher learning kits
Reading TBA
4/9 Program Development
Programming models, case studies of what has and has not been successful, strategic planning, interpreter and docent training
Video: The Docent Doesn’t!
Reading TBA
4/16 Evaluating the Outreach Material
How to evaluate the audience experience
Reading TBA
4/23 Critiquing the Role of Museums as an Interpretive Tool
What is the museum’s role as a mediating experience? How are living and vibrant cultural components presented within exhibits?
Reading TBA
4/30 Teacher Learning Kits in Detail
Successful and not-so-successful teacher learning kits; what goes into them?
Teacher Learning Kit Project
May 7 Teacher Learning Kits, cont.
Do’s and don’t’s, continue work on your kit
Final Exam Week – Teacher Learning Kit due on Wednesday, May 14th
Summer Break – see you in the fall!