We aim to investigate whether museums act as democratic institutions or as representatives of democratic values. What does this tell us about differences in UK and Germany of the role of the museum within society, and the ways in which museums and museum professionals aim to achieve this role? Why do museums in UK and Germany seem to act so differently, when both see their role as a fundamental part of democratic societies? How is change happening and why? 

Objective 1: To identify how museums (re)present and communicate central values and narratives of democracy in the UK and Germany. 

Objective 2: To analyse historic symbols and sites connected to the idea of democracy in each country, in order to assess the impacts of differently constructed national narratives on contemporary expectations and ideologies of democracy. 

Objective 3: To identify how and why museums and cultural 'activism' are changing as ideas of democracy change, and what new forms of public-focussed museum work and culturaldemocracy may emerge in future. 

Objective 4: To identify lessons for future museum practices and public engagement which strengthen their democratic basis in dynamic societies. 

Objective 5: To develop and consolidate methods for analysing museums, exhibitions and memory sites as democraticpublic spaces.