Eesti Rahva Muuseumi representatsioon Eesti trükimeedias 2008. ja 2009. aastal

Abstract

The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate how the Estonian National Museum (ENM) is represented in the Estonian press in 2008 and 2009. The ENM is managed by the Estonian Ministry of Culture. Their function is mainly the collection and conservation of Estonian and Finno – Ugric folklore. In 2008, the ENM celebrated its Jubilee year and for this reason the year 2009 became known as ‘Museum Year’. In this research topic, I examined how the ENM was represented and how their roles and responsibilities were portrayed in the Estonian press. The theoretical approach of this thesis is based on the concepts of decoding and articulation of language developed by Stuart Hall. I mainly examined the language and how it is represented in the Estonian press. I have previously researched this topic and will use the content analysis method to examine the articles which were written about the ENM. I analysed the portrayal of the ENM in the Estonian press for the ‘Museum Year’, with the assumption that during this period, it had been comprehensively examined. Using qualitative content analysis and Fairloughs Discourse Analysis, I have identified how the ENM was represented in the Estonian press. The findings from my previous research showed that the ENM was represented as a carrier of national identity, as well as a researcher of modern culture. In this research topic, I examined how the representations of the ENM in the Estonian press, have evolved. My findings illustrate that the key words to describe the museum encompass cultural heritage, traditions and folklore. The press represented the activities and roles of the ENM but did not highlight the value and importance of the cultural heritage, traditions and folklore conserved by the ENM. Even though the museums ambition is to be seen and heard in society, like the inclusive museum as vas Mensch (2003) said, it has not yet come to be. The majority of the articles written about the ENM describe it as being a collector and conservationist of Estonian and Finno - Ugric folklore. However, this is an important but limited role of the ENM.