A Study Of American Museum Podcasts’ Social Work Methods From The Participatory Culture Perspective

Today,as the concept of new museology continues to spread,the provision of various social work through digital means has become a major development trend in the museum industry,especially under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,online services are becoming more and more normalized.Among them,podcasting has become an emerging way for museums to provide online services.Tracing the history of podcasting,a phenomenal podcast Serial was born in the United States in 2014,after which the podcasting industry entered a booming phase and quickly became popular around the world.In recent years,more and more museums in the United States have begun to create participatory programs based on podcasts as a digital medium,and have developed a variety of services and functions based on their institutional missions,which are worth studying and learning from.Using Henry Jenkins’ participatory culture as a research perspective,this paper selects three typical cases of American museum podcasts that are representative of participatory models,and summarizes the functions and ways in which museums provide social work through podcasts with the method of textual analysis and online ethnography,providing reference and inspiration for domestic museums to optimize and expand their social work.In terms of interpretive services,the podcasts can be used as audio guides including oral histories to build public recognition of the exhibition narratives and their own identity;in terms of educational activities,the podcasts can be used as a form of field trip and a platform to showcase the achievements to nurture students’ creative ability and spirit;and in terms of information services,the podcasts can be used as a channel for the exchange of opinions and views to strengthen the connection between the audience and the museum.This study examines podcasting as a new form of museum social work from the perspective of "participatory culture",which broadens the application of "participatory culture" theory at the theoretical level;at the practical level,it is conducive to promoting domestic museum social work innovation through the introduction of foreign practical experience.The study also explores the practical implications of making museums’ social work more "people-oriented" through podcasting.