The contemporary zoo in Switzerland: a postcolonial critique
Salome Rohner | This contribution is part of the seminar “Decolonizing the Swiss Urban Landscape” (University of Basel, Autumn 2021) coordinated by Claske Dijkema., 2023
Taking the zoo as an object of postcolonial critique in Switzerland may seem surprising, as the zoo is generally perceived as a place of entertainment. However, the presence of a zoological garden often implies that a city has a history of (international) trade and prosperity, and therefore has been in contact with issues of coloniality and its representation for a long period of time. Zurich’s zoo serves as an example of how the history of the zoo and its entanglement with the “Völkerschau” can be critically reviewed. Analyses of the map and architectural expression of the zoo lead to reflections about how the representation of culture and geography in contemporary zoos contributes to our ways of being in the world.
© Image: Dimitri Burkhard