Modern ethnicity and ancient culture: The persistence of white narratives in displays of the Roman past

It has been over 40 years since Edward Said's Orientalism highlighted European imperialism and racism, involved in the West's representation of others. This relationship still exists throughout British museums where calls to become inclusive have yet to be answered. This research contributes to the examination of contemporary efforts of Roman museum displays to critically engage with the representation of diversity and analyses why change has yet to occur.To do so, the theory of narratology has been used to deconstruct Roman display narratives in Britain, with comparisons made with Belgium and the Netherlands. Britain's ancient past has been, and still is, greatly relied upon in the construction of its national identity. As such, this thesis sees museums as ideologically informed constructs. They are entwined with how the Roman period is related to and its persistent relevance for contemporary societies in the formation of worldviews of who is included or excluded from local and national narratives.The three research questions focus on how ethnic diversity is currently incorporated in display narratives, public opinion, and expectations of a museum's duty towards inclusivity, and how present-day, and past, ideologies inhibit progress. Two datasets have been amassed to gain first-person insights into these issues. The first includes 38 interviews, and two further conversations, with individuals that have been, and still are, included in curatorial decisions and deliverance of narratives in Roman museums in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands. The second dataset comprises of 255 questionnaires completed by members of the public in these museums. Through analysis of both datasets, and examination of display narratives, this thesis found that explicit depictions of ethnic diversity are still rare within contemporary permanent Roman exhibits. It found that there is an initial desire by the public and museum professionals for institutions to be inclusive; however, past and present ideological worldviews still hinder transformational change. Conclusions emphasise a momentum that strives for inclusivity to be engrained in museal practice. This is faced, however, by a real danger that change will again be hindered by a sector that relies on traditional narratives to steady an unstable sector.