Strangers in strange lands. Heroes sent to right what is wrong. Workers separated from the fruits of their labor. Scapegoats in times of fear and change.

Aliens and alienation are ever present tropes in our cultures, our politics, and our lives. This issue of Fwd: Museums tells stories of estrangement and inclusion, of museums expanding beyond their walls and opening themselves to those who have been unwelcome, of museums failing to do either of these things, of institutions that must revolutionize their missions and practices, and of the workers and visitors who will make that happen. "Alien" includes provocative critiques, celebrations, hidden histories, and manifestos exploring otherness, other worlds, and other possibilities.