Book excerpt: Museums, Society, Inequality explores the wide-ranging social roles and responsibilities of the museum. It brings together international perspectives to stimulate critical debate, inform the work of practitioners and policy makers, and to advance recognition of the purpose, responsibilities and value to society of museums. Museums, Society, Inequality examines the issues and: offers different understandings of the social agency of the museum presents ways in which museums have sought to engage with social concerns, and instigate social change imagines how museums might become more useful to society in future. This book is essential for all museum academics, practitioners and students.