Heterotopia as rescription: museum exhibits, networks and practices

Abstract

This article deals with empirical application of Michael Foucault's heterotopia concept. Author explores the ambiguity of heterotopia, concerning its ability to contact and turn over relations in other spaces, and refers to ethnographic museum case to analyze empirical grasping of these abilities. Notion of re-scription (by analogy to de-scription concept of M. Akrich) is used to conceptualize purifying and constructing of attributes of ethnographic objects in museum. Article shows practice of re-scription and its limits, suggesting that this practice raises ethical questions.