Negotiating Scottish Identity: The Glasgow History Exhibition 1911

Abstract

This essay explores how Scottish history was const7Ucted in discourse and displayed ar the History Exhibition in Glasgow in 1911. Having already held fwO international exhibitions. Glasgow's bourgeoisie organised one on a national scale in which the idea of progress was amended with that of history. Different concepts of Scottish history reflected differenr images of Scottish identity which competed with each other in the public debate about the foundatWn of a chair in Scottish history and literature at Glasgow University with funds left wer from rhe exhibition. A professor was appointed to the chair whose scholarly interests testified to the influence of powerful social groups in favour of a unionist notum of Scottish history.