Bruno Brulon Soares

Dr

  • KY16 9AL

    United Kingdom

Accepting Postgraduate Research Students

Personal profile

Biography

I am a museologist and anthropologist trained in Brazil, and my research interests have focused on the relationships of museums with society, practices of collecting, and the political uses of heritage. I have a Ph.D. in Anthropology (2012) and another in Contemporary History (2019) both from Universidade Federal Fluminense, and an MA in Museology and Heritage Studies (2008) from Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro.

I am currently a Reader in Museum and Heritage Studies in the School of Art History. Prior to joining St Andrews I was Professor of Museology and Heritage Studies at Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (2013-2022) and I was Chair of the International Committee for Museology of ICOM, the International Council of Museums (2019-2022).

Research overview

My research interests have focused on critical and social museology, practices of collecting, and the political uses of heritage. My previous works focused on community-based museums in Latin America and Europe, with a particular interest for decolonisation of museum theory and practices. Some of my research projects have analysed the history of museums and museology, the development of the New museology movement and the reappropriation of colonial heritage in museums. Between 2020 and 2022, acting as co-Chair of the Standing Committee for the Museum Definition (ICOM Define), I coordinated the global participatory project that led to the approval of a new museum definition adopted by the International Council of Museums in August 2022.

Research interests

Other research interests include museums dealing with indigenous knowledge and activism, LGBTQ+ museums and collections, and the appropriation of Afro-Brazilian collections in museums. My latest monograph, The Anticolonial Museum (2023), explored the rhetoric of 'decolonisation' in museum theory and its political and material consequences in Europe and Latin America.

Profile Keywords

Critical and social museology; museums' modern and contemporary history; colonial heritage; LGBTQ+ heritage and collections; Latin American museology and collecting practices. 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 15 - Life on Land
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Education/Academic qualification

Doctor in Anthropology, Universidade Federal Fluminense

1 Aug 200820 Dec 2012

Award Date: 20 Dec 2012

Keywords

  • F1201 Latin America (General)
  • AM Museums (General). Collectors and collecting (General)
  • GN Anthropology

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