Return to Alexandria

An Ethnography of Cultural Heritage Revivalism and Museum Memory

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Archaeology
Cover of the book Return to Alexandria by Beverley Butler, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Beverley Butler ISBN: 9781315420837
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: July 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Beverley Butler
ISBN: 9781315420837
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: July 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina was launched with great fanfare in the 1990s, a project of UNESCO and the Egyptian government to recreate the glory of the Alexandria Library and Museion of the ancient world. The project and its timing were curious—it coincided with scholarship moving away from the dominance of the western tradition; it privileged Alexandria’s Greek heritage over 1500 years of Islamic scholarship; and it established an island for the cultural elite in an urban slum. Beverley Butler’s ethnography of the project explores these contradictions, and the challenges faced by Egyptian and international scholars in overcoming them. Her critique of the underlying foundational concepts and values behind the Library is of equal importance, a nuanced postcolonial examination of memory, cultural revival, and homecoming. In this, she draws upon a wide array of thinkers: Freud, Derrida, Said, and Bernal, among others. Butler’s book will be of great value to museologists, historians, archaeologists, cultural scholars, and heritage professionals.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina was launched with great fanfare in the 1990s, a project of UNESCO and the Egyptian government to recreate the glory of the Alexandria Library and Museion of the ancient world. The project and its timing were curious—it coincided with scholarship moving away from the dominance of the western tradition; it privileged Alexandria’s Greek heritage over 1500 years of Islamic scholarship; and it established an island for the cultural elite in an urban slum. Beverley Butler’s ethnography of the project explores these contradictions, and the challenges faced by Egyptian and international scholars in overcoming them. Her critique of the underlying foundational concepts and values behind the Library is of equal importance, a nuanced postcolonial examination of memory, cultural revival, and homecoming. In this, she draws upon a wide array of thinkers: Freud, Derrida, Said, and Bernal, among others. Butler’s book will be of great value to museologists, historians, archaeologists, cultural scholars, and heritage professionals.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Monetary Macroeconomics by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book European Security in Transition by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book From the Minds of Jazz Musicians by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Seduction and Desire by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Omens and Oracles by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Rogues, Rebels, And Rubber Stamps by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Conservation of Easel Paintings by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book The Philosophy of Gandhi by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Measuring the Value of the Supply Chain by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Cultural Diversity in Trade Unions: A Challenge to Class Identity? by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book War without End by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Fundamentals of Educational Research by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book House: The Wounded Healer on Television by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Wilderness by Beverley Butler
Cover of the book Yearbook of Cultural Property Law 2009 by Beverley Butler
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy