Leicester Readers in Museum Studies

Leicester Readers in Museum Studies was launched in 1994 under the editorship of Professor Susan Pearce, the then Head of the Department of Museum Studies. Having continuously developed subject bibliographies since its founding in 1966, in the late 1980s the Department converted these into study packs of published materials for students. These became the basis of the first series of Readers. It was determined that each volume should have a strong editorial vision which would be expressed in a significant introductory essay and in section introductions. Professor Eilean Hooper-Greenhill followed Sue Pearce as series editor. In 2007, Simon Knell became editor of a newly designed and more thematically diverse second series. He invited editors from outside the Leicester department.

Launched in 2019, the third series is focused on the publication of new - rather than previously published - material and with a renewed energy to reflect thought and practice globally. The series welcomes proposals from prospective editors, wherever they may be, who seek to meet the series’ objectives:

• To produce edited volumes for students, professionals and others who wish to obtain an overview of contemporary thought and practice in the fields of museum, gallery, heritage and curatorial studies.
• To edit volumes composed entirely or almost entirely of new work. This new work includes writing that seeks to survey, curate and summarise an area of interest; it need not be work that seeks to innovate. The series will also consider the inclusion of previously published work where this work might currently be viewed as obscure, inaccessible or only published in a foreign language.
• To shape volumes with a strong editorial vision that include a substantial and authoritative introduction that reflects on the content of the book and the book’s subject. It is expected that all books in the series will have a strong sectional structure and include section introductions.
• To embrace the Leicester vision for inclusive and egalitarian engagement. Contributions to the series may seek to criticise, deconstruct or analyse hegemonic positions and hierarchies, though it is not a requirement to do so. The series will not seek to sustain them.

If you have an idea for a book that you think would be appropriate for the series, then please contact the Series Editor, Simon Knell ([email protected]), to discuss further.