MUSEOLOGY IN MODERNITY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF CULTURE AND SOCIETY: WEAVING DECOLONIAL DIALOGUES

Abstract

The objective of the present research is to conduct a critical analysis of the development of museological thought, spanning the 18th to the 20th centuries, with a particular emphasis on integrating decolonial thinking into contemporary museum institutions. The adopted methodological approach is basic in nature, with exploratory and descriptive objectives, employing a qualitative perspective. A critical and decolonial bibliographic research was conducted over the past three years, utilizing various sources including SciELO, the CAPES Periodicals Portal, the Brazilian Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD), and the Oasis Metasearch Engine from IBICT. The focus of the research encompasses museology, decoloniality, and decolonial thinking in musealized spaces. The analysis results demonstrate that museums, especially those situated in countries profoundly impacted by colonization processes, reflect Eurocentric thinking and, consequently, a colonizer's aesthetic and the erasure of traditional cultures. The conclusion emphasizes the urgent need to implement strategies in museum spaces to deconstruct colonial thinking, aiming to strengthen narratives that give voice and prominence to indigenous communities and their traditions.