Onder woorden brengen (Putting it into words)
STUDIO i is proud to present its first publication: Onder woorden brengen by Nynke Feenstra. Nynke is an external PhD student in museum studies at Leiden University and is involved in STUDIO i as a permanent researcher. She researches, writes and gives presentations on the themes of ‘inclusion’ and ‘accessibility’ with regard to museums.
During the first year of the project, the STUDIO i team soon discovered that ‘inclusion’ is not such a simple and unambiguous concept. This year, the team has spoken to a rich diversity of museum staff. Everyone got involved in the topic and hoped that museums would be more inclusive in the future. Everyone wanted a more inclusive sector with diverse visitors, staff and programmes. But what does ‘inclusion’ actually mean? (Nynke writes about ‘inclusiveness’.) We often talk to each other about inclusiveness from our own personal vision and point of view, which can cause misunderstandings.
By writing Onder woorden brengen, Nynke has provided the museum sector with a Dutch glossary that can be used to engage in the discussion about inclusiveness. She demonstrates that inclusion can be a well-considered choice: by reflecting on words such as ‘diversity’ and ‘accessibility’ within the organisation, and by testing them against the current and ideal situation, we can take our first steps towards creating inclusiveness. So first and foremost, putting it all into words is a great start.