Real Objects, Fake Contexts: “The Real Religious Thing” in the Museum

Van der Velde, Mariska Real Objects, Fake Contexts: “The Real Religious Thing” in the Museum. Research master thesis, Master Research Master Theologie en Religiewetenschappen.

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Abstract

This thesis examines what it means for visitors to experience authenticity when interacting with religious objects in the museum. Authenticity and the display of religious objects are both important themes for contemporary museums, yet previous research on experienced authenticity in the museum did not include religious objects into their analysis. Through in-depth interviews and questionnaires, this thesis contributes to the existing academic debate by adding visitors’ experiences of authenticity with religious objects into the discussion. It shows how these experiences fit into the existing frameworks, not because they are identical to experiences with non-religious objects, but because the existing frameworks on authenticity do not accommodate a comparative study of experiences. Building on Latham’s TRT-framework, this study proposes a new, reimagined framework. This reimagined framework, which uses the axes “cognitive-sensory” and “inward-outward oriented” in order to map visitors' experiences, could be used for future comparative research into authentic experiences.

Type:	Thesis (Research master)
Supervisors (RUG):	Supervisor E-mail Tutor organization Tutor email Irving, A.J.M. Faculteit GGW, Christendom en Ideeengeschiedenis A.J.M.Irving@rug.nl Jong, J.B.M. de Campus Fryslan, Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy J.B.M.de.Jong@rug.nl
Degree programme:	Master Research Master Theologie en Religiewetenschappen
Academic year:	2021-2022
Date of delivery:	16 Sep 2022 13:46
Last modified:	16 Sep 2022 13:46
URI:	https://ggw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/669

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