ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on the survey, as well as on author work on specific cases of controversy over the last 20 years, to identify the power vectors at play in current challenges and examine some of the most productive ways curators have developed to handle such challenges. It is roughly divided into two parts: the first looks at pressures to censor and self-censor, starting with a brief history of how some of these pressures have developed in the last 30 years. The second part – based on the assumption that the openness of our public sphere depends, to an extent rarely recognized, on the ability of curators to negotiate these pressures – analyzes various strategies and advocates for tactical approaches. The Best Practices document emphasizes the importance of initial preparation, from establishing clear selection criteria and engaging stakeholders to preliminary public relations and internal communications: the backbone elements of an adaptive curatorial strategy.
