New article: Passing the fire on

Würzburg Student Assistants, Susanne Bremer and Nadine Schneider, have published their article, "Passing the fire on", in Museumskunde 2025.

A 2024 survey conducted within the German museums and museums staff shows that most museums see themselves as democratically grounded. Democracy education is understood primarily as the transmission of values and competencies – not only as political education. In practice, however, obstacles emerge: hierarchies, lack of resources, and interference from governing bodies make implementations difficult. Personal formats such as workshops are considered particularly effective. Many institutions would like to see greater co-determination and exchange with audiences. At the same time, uncertainties persist: How neutral must a museum remain? How should it engage with social conflicts? Despite these tensions, democracy is understood as a cross-cutting task – with the aim of strengthening museums as open, dialogical spaces that foster democratic coexistence. 

The journal issue, including Susanne and Nadine's article, is available here.

Last modified: Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:35:30 GMT