UMAC JOURNAL – CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Two Horizons: multi-knowledge system explorations through university museums and collections
In this call for proposals, we are seeking case studies where different forms of knowledge are used in the work of university museums and collections. It has long been known that material engagements with objects provide cross-disciplinary bridges in pedagogy. In this thematic issue of the journal, we extend this concept to explore how different forms of knowledge can be embedded into the materiality of objects and how different knowledge systems can be represented in the diversity of museum work.
This project builds on the publication of our special issue of the University Museums and Collections Journal (UMACJ 17.1) where repatriation and restitution stories involving university museums and collections have been collaboratively documented as case studies involving at least two perspectives. This project aligns with the ICOM strategic focus area of decolonisation and is viewed as an important step forward in the evolution of museums from being points of cultural authority to being a network of cultural agency.
University museums and collections are uniquely positioned at the intersection of academic research, teaching, and public engagement. Increasingly, they are engaging with diverse knowledge systems—Indigenous, local, community-based, artistic, spiritual, and more—to rethink and reshape museum practice. These engagements open possibilities for new approaches, challenge established methods, and foster collaborative ways of working that respond to broader questions of equity, sustainability, and relevance.
We invite proposals for case studies that explore how university museums and collections are engaging with different epistemologies to undertake new work. Contributions may examine specific projects, partnerships, or innovations that demonstrate how museums are navigating, negotiating, and integrating multiple knowledge systems.
Case studies that have fostered new forms of collaboration with communities, artists, researchers, and students are sought, those that have:-
- Reshaped exhibition-making, interpretation, and public programming
- Reimagined education and engagement strategies
- Informed conservation, storage, and care practices
- Reconsidered archival and research methodologies
- Challenged or expanded institutional frameworks, policies, and values
We welcome co-written contributions by parties who have worked together that highlight both opportunities and challenges, including reflections on process, relationships, and lessons learned. Case studies may come from any disciplinary context or geographical region and may address practice at any scale—from small, experimental projects to long-term institutional change.
Submission Guidelines
Summary outline of proposed article: 300–500 words
Deadline for proposals: November 29, 2025
Notification of acceptance: January 1, 2026
Final case study length: 3,000–8,000 words (including references and images)
Submission of full article May, 2026 with provisional publication date in August, 2026.
Please email proposal to: umacjeditor@gmail.com
Also email if you wish to discuss a possible contribution to the volume.
The UMAC Journal is a double diamond open access journal published by the International Committee for University Museums and Collections (UMAC), a Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
