A PALACE AND PROTEST IN BERLIN FOR THE WHOLE WORLD:
THE COALITION OF CULTURAL WORKERS AGAINST THE HUMBOLDT FORUM
AND THE CHALLENGE OF DECOLONIZATION

Submitted to HMKW University of Applied Science, Berlin for the degree of M.A. in Visual and Media Anthropology, this thesis examines the struggle of the decolonization of the art and cultural institutions, focusing on the example of newly built the Humboldt Forum. Thesis consists of a written text and three movies. “Tear It Down” shows the dynamics of a protest movement in a chronologic timeline with my fieldnotes. “Museal – The Story of Dying Museums” takes the main research question and breaks into more questions in order to clarify the deepness of the colonial problem. “Skating on the Ruins of the History” discusses the controversial history of the site.

Abstract

This research focuses on how a protest group, the Coalition of Cultural Workers Against the Humboldt Forum, creates their audiovisual narrative in order to challenge a controversial institution. As an example of a museum with a colonial collection, the Humboldt Forum is at the center of decolonization debates. This attempt carries within and outside of the institution. The research explores these decolonization attempts by tracing the controversial layers that were the subject of protests. ❯ READ THE THESIS