Digital Museums in the Global South: A Framework for Sustainable and Culturally Appropriate Digital Transformation

This book focuses on digital museums in the context of Vietnam and contributes to global discussions on the development of digital museum offerings needed to meet audience demands, requirements for sustainable digitisation methods for cultural heritage, demands for the development of intellectual property protection for the digital environment, and shows ways for national governments to support digital museums. Duester provides insight into museums in part of the Global South, where infrastructure funding and technical and human resource constraints impact the take-up and display of digital content. With on-the-ground research from three Vietnamese museums, Duester argues for a museum framework that is sustainable, ethical, and culturally appropriate. The Vietnamese government’s strategy for digitalisation of culture, heritage, and museums is assessed, and the book includes a list of recommendations on sustainable digitisation methods, intellectual property protection measures for the digital environment, management, phygital business models, and new digital revenue streams. The volume will benefit scholars involved in the cultural and creative industries, as well as museum professionals and cultural policymakers who will value the book’s assessment of international standards, treaties, and conventions on copyright law and how they apply to museums, as well as the recommendations listed above.

Table of Contents:
Preface List of Figures Acknowledgements Introducing Museums in Digital Transition Museums in Digital Transition Futureproofing the Museum Sector Digital Transformation in the Global South Conceptualising the ‘Digital Museum’ Chapter Outline Chapter 1: Sustainable and culturally-appropriate creation of digital museums Introduction The Co-designed Digitization Project The Museums and Artefacts Step-by-Step Digitization, Digital Display, and Online Publication Process Chapter Summary Chapter 2: Understanding audiences’ needs for digital experiences Introduction Audience-centered developments in Museum Digital Offerings Audience’s Reflections on their Most Memorable Digital Experiences at Vietnamese Museums Audiences’ Reflections on Museums’ Uses of digital technologies and Suggestions for Improvements Chapter Summary Chapter 3: Government Support for Digital Transformation at Museums Introduction Culture Policy and Arts Management Globally Vietnam Government Support for culture policy, museum management, and digital transformation Chapter Summary Chapter 4: Understanding the global legal landscape for Intellectual Property Protection in the Digital Environment Introduction Implications of Vietnam Joining the global digital transformation and ways of mitigating divides Global Legal Landscape on Rights, Protection, and Exceptions for Museums in the Digital Environment Digital Protection Measures for Museums to Implement Chapter Summary Conclusions and Recommendations for Transforming and Maintaining Digital Museums Futureproofing Future Digital Museums Must Reflect Local Needs, Culture, and Context Updates on Existing Scholarship Specific Needs for Digital Transformation at Museums in Vietnam Recommendations for Creating, Protecting, and Maintaining Digital Museums in Vietnam Index

About the Author :
Emma Duester is Associate Professor at the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. She has published widely on the culture sector, mobilities, transnational communication, and digitisation of culture in Europe, Vietnam, and China. This book is the result of a funded research project at RMIT University, Vietnam, carried out between 2020 and 2023.