Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Anthropology

Organizational Unit

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Anthropology

First Advisor

Christina Kreps

Second Advisor

Kelly Fayard

Third Advisor

Angela Parker

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Indigenization, Museum studies, Indigenous history, Decolonization, Co-curation

Abstract

This thesis explores the paradigm shift within the fields of anthropology and museum studies away from decolonization and towards indigenization through a case study of the changes in museological practices of the History Colorado Center in Denver, Colorado, and one of its community museums, the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, Colorado. This thesis examines the changes in consultation and collaboration, the care and stewardship of collections, the implementation of the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials (PNAAM), and co-curation of exhibits. This thesis looks at the paradigm shift as a movement away from “damage-based research” within communities to “desire-centered research” (Tuck 2009). In the context of museums, damage-based research has resulted in inaccurate representations of Indigenous communities’ culture and history. Desire-centered research, a paradigm rooted in Indigenous feminisms, seeks to counteract approaches that position communities as “damaged” and “broken” while understanding the complexity, contradictions, and the self-determination of Indigenous people. This research paradigm acknowledges loss and despair, but also focuses on the hope, visions, and wisdom of lived lives and communities (Tuck 2009).

Copyright Date

8-2025

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Amanda Cali

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

160 pgs

File Size

2.9 MB

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