Panjab University Organises Special Lecture on “Anthropology and Museum Perspectives on Heritage and Representation”
Panjab University (PU) through its Department of Anthropology, organised a special lecture titled “Anthropology and Museum Perspectives on Heritage and Representation.”
City Air News
Mar 12, 2026 01:18
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Chandigarh, March 11, 2026: Panjab University (PU) through its Department of Anthropology, organised a special lecture titled “Anthropology and Museum Perspectives on Heritage and Representation.”
The lecture was delivered by Prof. Soumendra M. Patnaik, Head, Department of Anthropology and Director, Centre for Tribal Studies, University of Delhi. Prof. J.S. Sehrawat, Chairperson, Department of Anthropology, welcomed the speaker and introduced him to the audience.
Prof. Patnaik presented an anthropological perspective on the concept, evolution and functioning of museums. He discussed the meaning and nature of museums and explained their taxonomy and classification based on epistemic objectives and interpretative frameworks. He noted that museum collections largely consist of material artefacts representing the tangible dimensions of culture such as tools, artworks and objects preserved for research, education and public display.
Highlighting the limitations of such collections, Prof. Patnaik emphasised that tangible artefacts represent only a partial dimension of culture. Intangible aspects of cultural life, including oral traditions, rituals, knowledge systems and social practices often remain underrepresented in museum spaces. He stressed the importance of systematic documentation and contextual interpretation.
The lecture also addressed legal and institutional frameworks for heritage preservation in India and the role of international organisations such as UNESCO in safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting the protection of art, history and cultural traditions.
Faculty members, research scholars and students of the department attended the lecture, which concluded with an interactive discussion session.
