The Role of ICOM in Islamic Postcolonial Museology in Malaysia: A Critical Analysis and Reconstruction of a Sovereign Epistemology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15575/jis.v6i3.55575Kata Kunci:
cultural heritage, ICOM, Islamic museology, postcolonial museology, curatorship, MalaysiaAbstrak
This article examines the role of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in the development of Islamic and postcolonial museology in Malaysia. The study adopts a qualitative approach based on document and literature analysis to investigate the relationship between global museological standards and local contexts shaped by historical, cultural, and religious dimensions. The findings indicate that although ICOM provides a fundamental framework for museum professionalism, effective heritage management requires an integrative approach that bridges the materiality of artefacts with their meanings, functions, and underlying worldviews. The experiences of institutions such as the Pahang State Museum and the Sultan Abdullah Mosque Museum demonstrate that context-based and locally grounded narratives significantly enhance public understanding of history, identity, and civilizational continuity. This study contributes to the development of an integrative museological framework that synthesizes global standards, postcolonial critique, and Islamic epistemology, thereby enabling a more holistic and contextually grounded interpretation of cultural heritage.
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