More-than-Human Networks? Dutch Museum Collections

More-than-Human Networks? Dutch Museum Collections examines how Dutch museum practices of collecting, classifying, and displaying human remains have shaped—and constrained—historical understandings of the “human.” Tracing anatomical, medical, and colonial collecting from the early modern period to the twentieth century, the text shows how human bodies became embedded in taxonomic, economic, and metaphysical networks that linked humans, animals, objects, and environments within hierarchical worldviews. By reframing these collections as more-than-human assemblages and ethical actants, the contribution critically engages with the colonial legacies of museum knowledge and highlights ongoing questions of agency, responsibility, and restitution in heritage practice. “tbc. working through heritage concepts" is a wordbook series published by the Centre of Advanced Study “inherit. heritage in transformation". Every issue works with a key concept of heritage, its history, current state, or future transformations. "inherit" team and fellows contribute to the series, which is updated with every fellow intake. Concept-work in heritage is always in a process of tbc: “to be confirmed” (still under development, evolving) and “to be continued” (an ongoing process, part of a longer historical narrative). This series of short publications captures work-in-progress on concepts, notions, and words that are significant in the research taking place at "inherit". It gives space to experimentation, highlighting the continuous, transforming and transformative nature of heritage research.