Negotiating problematic identities of place within the path-driven elite university: Jefferson, slavery and the University of Virginia

ABSTRACT

Historic and elite universities need to manage their reputation whilst facing up to problematic aspects of their own history. We determine contemporary readings of place and space require narratives to align with current, corporate thinking and values. In recent years, colonialism and slavery have been at the forefront of campaigns which, while they tend to originate as student-led, have resulted in historic universities having to ‘face up’ to their own role. We here focus on the University of Virginia which alongside nearby Monticello, has symbolic and charismatic hagiographic remembering afforded to the founder Thomas Jefferson. We note how competitively selected student guides are evidencing cultural change in the present as well as forming part of the alumni and present student ‘family’, where pride in place is contingent on such openness. Our study makes a contribution to our understanding of historic universities as heritage businesses

KEYWORDS:

• WHS universities
• elite student guides
• narrative of change
• symbolic memory
• charismatic founder
• tourism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth Carnegie

Associate Professor Elizabeth Carnegie came to academic work from practice having been a museum curator specialising in the representation of peoples and cultures within localities. Her research focuses on how complex institutions such as WHS frame themselves for external and tourist audiences within the ‘political present’. She is particularly interested in how objects and memories are combined, drawing on individuals’ life histories and present values to shape collective memory. She currently teaches at Northumbria University, Newcastle

Simon Woodward

Associate Professor Elizabeth Carnegie came to academic work from practice having been a museum curator specialising in the representation of peoples and cultures within localities. Her research focuses on how complex institutions such as WHS frame themselves for external and tourist audiences within the ‘political present’. She is particularly interested in how objects and memories are combined, drawing on individuals’ life histories and present values to shape collective memory. She currently teaches at Northumbria University, Newcastle

Dr Simon Woodward is an experienced tourism and heritage industry consultant and educator. He joined Leeds Beckett University in 2008 having spent the previous 20 years working as a consultant for a number of UK companies, including 12 years as a Director at PLB Consulting Ltd. He has worked in many developed and emerging destinations including South Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Morocco and of course the UK.