Editor's introduction : Criticality and contention - museums, contemporary societies, civic roles and responsibilities in the 21st Century

Museums globally exist in an academic, cultural and social context of contest and controversy. A long established practice of exhibiting the facts, truth, national history or unproblematic conceptions of other places and peoples is no longer wholly sustainable in an environment where the self evidence of all these things is under question. Topics of global importance that challenge, upset, intrigue and attract are now legitimate areas for museological investigation, and for public display through exhibitions and other programs. Ongoing cultural, social and political tensions in Australia and in other countries also heighten the need for civic spaces where diverse communities might learn about and debate issues of contemporary relevance and importance. And in societies where a diverse citizenry demands greater participation in decision making, where power is shifting from older hierarchical forms to coalitions, fundamental questions are raised about the roles and functioning of museums in the 21st century. What are the civic and social responsibilities of museums in this climate of contestation, in creating debate and for democratic decision making?