| ID | 106040 |
| Title Proper | From revolutionary heroism to cultural heritage |
| Other Title Information | museums, memory and representation in Laos |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Tappe, Oliver |
| Publication | 2011. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Museum exhibitions in Laos represent two main strands of Lao national identity discourse. First, they glorify the 'liberation struggle' of the so-called 'Lao multiethnic people' under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and therefore serve as important ideological tools for the current regime's self-legitimisation. Second, they display the history and cultural heritage of the Lao nation, providing the postcolonial state with a narrative of historical continuity and civilisation that is focused mostly on the dominant ethnic Lao culture. This article explores the contradictions within official images of the Lao nation-state and how these opposing strands of national identity compete or interact. Museums as key arenas of ideological tensions constitute illuminating fields of research on discourses of national identity in Laos. |
| `In' analytical Note | Nations and Nationalism Vol. 17, No. 3; Jul 2011: p.604-626 |
| Journal Source | Nations and Nationalism Vol. 17, No. 3; Jul 2011: p.604-626 |
| Key Words | Cultural Heritage ; Laos ; Memory ; Museums ; National Identity ; Revolution |