Museums and the Fashioning of National History in Postcolonial Pakistan

This article uses the deliberations of the Museums Association of Pakistan to demonstrate the collaborative and multidisciplinary nature of national history-writing that took place in the wake of Pakistan's independence from British colonial rule. It repositions museums as an important stage on which new national narratives-and, by extension, new South Asian histories-were generated, rather than their being mere showcases for histories scripted elsewhere or being dismissed as colonial relics. It also draws attention to the individuals and the networks that shaped these histories, widening the net to include more than elite politicians and grand narratives.

Automated summary

This article uses the deliberations of the Museums Association of Pakistan to showcase the collaborative and multidisciplinary nature of national history-writing after Pakistan's independence. It highlights the significance of museums as important stages where new national narratives and South Asian histories were generated, challenging the notion that they merely exhibited histories scripted elsewhere or were colonial relics. The article also emphasizes the individuals and networks that shaped these histories, broadening the scope beyond elite politicians and grand narratives.