Sámi Collections in German Museums: Historical Collecting Practices, Colonial Narratives, and Transnational Contexts

The dissertation project analyzes which colonial knowledge systems and historical networks of individuals were involved in acquiring and presenting these Sámi objects, and how these issues are addressed or questioned in contemporary museum work. It focuses on the colonial frameworks of knowledge and networks of actors involved in the acquisition and representation of these collections and considers how they are being revisited in contemporary museum practice.

In recent years, extensive provenance and decolonization projects have been undertaken in Norway, Sweden, and Finland, whereas comparable collections in Germany have only been studied selectively. The project investigates these German holdings within a broader Scandinavian and transnational context. Through object analyses, archival research, and interviews, it reconstructs acquisition histories, classification systems, and curatorial approaches.

Central questions concern transnational exchanges, colonial epistemologies, and present-day perspectives on Sámi cultural heritage. By integrating Sámi voices and collaborative research initiatives, the project explores how historical collections are negotiated between scholarship, cultural policy, and source communities, and how they shape ongoing debates about heritage and representation.