'White Thinking' and the failed promise of diversity in Scottish heritage

Lead Research Organisation: University of Strathclyde
Department Name: English

Abstract

'White Thinking' and the failed promise of diversity in Scottish heritage

This project responds to a key challenge in the Scottish heritage sector: what is the next step in transitioning small-scale diversity projects in Scottish heritage organisations to more sustainable, and structural, forms of organisational and cultural change? While various organisations have signalled a commitment to longer-term changes, the innovation in this project is focused on bridging the gap between the wealth of smaller-scale anti-racist heritage projects taking place in Scotland today (which are often led by individuals and/or small collectives), and the 'promise' of structural change in a sector which is predominantly white and from higher socio-economic backgrounds.

The title is taken from Lilian Thuram's book, White Thinking: Behind the Mask of Racial Identity (Hero: 2021). The book asks, 'What does it mean to by white? Beyond just a skin colour, is it also a way of thinking? If so, how did it come about, and why?'. Thuram's career spans football (he is France's most capped player) and anti-racist activism. Thuram, and one of the translators of White Thinking will be leading some of the project's work at Kelvingrove Museum to ask how and why the white gaze determines and fixes representations of racialised minorities as fringe, exotic, and inferior. If they are represented at all.

The project responds to the call of Museums and Galleries Scotland's report Empire, Slavery, and Scotland's Museums (2022) to 'ensure anti-racism is embedded in [museum] workplaces and public spaces'. Through practice-led interventions involving stakeholders across education, heritage organisations, and communities, this project brings together organisations of different sizes, and with unique challenges, to create a community of practice. Our partners include the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum, HMS Unicorn, Kelvingrove Museum, Museums and Galleries Scotland, the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow, and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Our outputs include anti-racist step-change plans for organisations, a new exhibition on the history of South Asian medical professionals in Scotland, community co-designed resources on the legacy of David Livingstone, workshops for curators, and a programme of public events for Black History Month Scotland.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Title Educational Resource DLBM 
Description resources to support decolonial museum experience 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2025 
Impact resources to open new conversations about race 
 
Title Educational Resource Kelvingrove 
Description resources to support decolonial education 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2025 
Impact resources to support school visits 
 
Title HMS Unicorn Zine 
Description Zine to facilitate new audiences to engage with HMS Unicorn 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2024 
Impact Community co-produced zine to help diversify audiences 
 
Title RCSPG Postcards 
Description Illustrative postcards for RCSPG 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2024 
Impact Improving awareness and understanding of the contribution of South Asians to medical practice in Scotland 
 
Title contribution to Glasgow City of Empire Exhibition 
Description Contribution of materials and influencing design and pre-cursor intervention panels hosted at Kelvingrove to develop the exhibition 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2024 
Impact audience engagement (general public) 
 
Description Through a combination of practice-led interventions across heritage organisations of varying sizes and scales we developed a series of practical tools and case studies that reflect on the challenges of embedded anti-racism in the Scottish heritage sector which are attuned to the societal, policy, and cultural specificities of Scotland.
Exploitation Route Final Report, Case Studies, Community of Practice
Sectors Culture

Heritage

Museums and Collections

 
Description Our approaches to anti-racist heritage have helped to develop new initiatives which extend beyond this project (for example, forms of organisational and culture change within organisations and the breadth and depth of work on inclusion).
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural

 
Description DLBM 
Organisation David Livingstone Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Designing educational resources on black life and history
Collaborator Contribution Supporting the testing of the resource and offering a permanent home to the resource
Impact Educational resource for schools (fully designed and tested)
Start Year 2020
 
Description Kelvingrove 
Organisation Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Working with Kelvingrove through EDI in Scottish Heritage and White Thinking to deliver their Museum of Empire interventions which then led to a permanent exhibition.
Collaborator Contribution Leading the design and delivery of a permanent exhibition.
Impact Intervention boards in Kelvingrove followed by contributions to a permanent exhibition with educational resources and curator training (on empire).
Start Year 2021
 
Description MGS 
Organisation Museums Galleries Scotland
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Coordinating sector-wide dissemination of findings especially through Delivering Change Project
Collaborator Contribution Helping to design final outcomes and identifying sympathetic packages of work in the sector
Impact Contributing to final report and disseminating findings to museum professionals
Start Year 2020
 
Description RCPSG 
Organisation The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Designing and delivering engagement events; producing resources and research to support inclusion work within the college.
Collaborator Contribution Supporting design and delivery.
Impact Doors Open Day event; public talk; resources for exhibited material; engagement with communities.
Start Year 2020
 
Description SoAoS 
Organisation Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Learned Society 
PI Contribution Supporting an action plan for organisational change
Collaborator Contribution Collaborating to design action points for organisational change
Impact Organisational plan for diversity at a structural and operational level (primary impact: culture change)
Start Year 2020
 
Description HMS Workshop series (2 in total) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Engaging with minoritised communities to understand barriers to cultural belonging
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Interactive tour of DLBM 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact tour of DLBM focused on developing decolonial educational resources
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description RCSPG - Open Doors 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Open Doors event which included exhibition and information on South Asian doctors
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description RCSPG BHM 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact BHM public event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description RCSPG portrait launch 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Launch of first portrait of female fellow of college (who was also a South Asian woman) with supporting research led material.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Thuram Curators workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Event with curators on developing anti-racist practice
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Thuram public event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Flagship public event on racism and heritage
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Thuram schools workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Engaging schools with anti-racism in heritage settings
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024