ICOM Call for Papers: "Museums and Public Policy"

Museum International is an academic journal that promotes the exchange of information about museums and cultural heritage on an international level. The journal aims to foster knowledge-sharing through interdisciplinary research and best practices for the protection of cultural heritage in a fast-changing world. First launched by UNESCO in 1948, its responsibility lies since 2013 in the hands of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). ICOM is currently preparing an issue of Museum International on the theme "Museums and Public Policy". Its main aim is to explore the ways in which public policy can affect museums, and how museums and museums associations can influence international, regional and national policy affecting cultural institutions. In this context, authors are invited to submit contributions that will probe issues such as:

• The importance of legislation to increase the role and impact of museums in society, thus ensuring their sustainability.
• How museums and museums associations can advocate for favourable public policy affecting cultural institutions.
• Ways of achieving financial self-sufficiency in a context of shrinking budgets and privatisation.

The journal's Editorial Board, involving Dr. Thereza Scheiner as Editor-in-Chief, looks forward to receiving contributions that contribute to offering fresh insight into this fundamental topic for the museum community. All proposals submitted will be assessed for suitability and subsequent articles will go through a peer review process. The issue is expected to be published, in collaboration with Wiley Blackwell, by December 2017. Abstracts of between 250 and 300 words, written in English, French or Spanish, should be submitted by 7 March 2017. For additional information, please visit http://icom.museum/media/museum-international/