Advocating for diversity and inclusion at BC’s community museums: A survey of museum engagement practices during the pandemic

Dr. Ünsal received an RRU Internal Grant for Research to analyse community engagement initiatives employed by community museums during the pandemic using a diversity and inclusion lens.

The role of museums in advocating for equity and diversity has been a topic of discussion from long before the pandemic. This research investigates how community museums in BC adapted to digital environments and acted as agents of social change during the pandemic, especially as this era has seen the rise of discrimination and hate-crimes. The shift to the online environment had an impact on definitions and formations of community, content creation, and interpretation practices. This research contributes to a growing literature on the development of digital strategies to engage museum communities over pressing social issues in the future.