Thinking Allowed Objects and Stories
10 snips
Jun 10, 2025 
Seth Rockman, an Associate Professor of History at Brown University, explores the hidden histories of plantation goods that fueled the American economy, revealing how items like shoes crafted by Northern women were tied to slavery. Lea David, an Assistant Professor at University College Dublin, delves into the emotional gravitas of everyday objects from sites of tragedy, discussing their role in memorialization and human rights education. Together, they unveil the complex and often painful narratives embedded in these objects, challenging listeners to reconsider their significance.
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Power of Desire Objects
- Desire objects found at atrocity sites carry emotional and ideological meanings beyond their physical form.
- These objects move through private, familial, and public museum contexts, shifting in significance over time.
Shoes as Potent Symbols
- Shoes uniquely symbolize life and loss, evoking deep emotional responses in Holocaust memorials and protests.
- These mundane items have become potent political symbols across diverse causes globally.
Museums Shape Our Emotions
- Emotional responses in museums are constructed and staged by environment, lighting, and context.
- Visitors perform moral labour to align their feelings with expected emotions triggered by exhibits.