NATIONAL IDENTITY IN CULTURAL VENUES WALES’ NATIONAL IDENTITY IN ST FAGANS NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND WALES MILENNIUM CENTRE CARDIFF 2017 THI KIM NGAN PHAN SUPERVISORS: MARK JAYNE (CARDIFF UNIVERSITY)- DUNCAN LIEFFERINK (RADBOUD UNIVERSITY) 1 Acknowledgement I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my main supervisor- Prof. Mark Jayne for his excellent guidance and constant supports throughout all the stages of my research. His knowledge inspired me to challenge myself in this new field- culture, his patience and enthusiasm has encouraged me to work harder, and his humour has made the work more enjoyable. I would also like to thank my second supervisor- Dr. Duncan Liefferink for his prompt responses, his great feedback and suggestions, as well as all my MSc lecturers, tutors for the education I have gained in these two years. My special thanks are sent to my interviewees for contributing their valuable knowledge and experience in my research. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their supports and for making this Master’s programme an amazing experience. 2 Contents Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................................. 2 List of Table ............................................................................................................................................. 5 List of figures ........................................................................................................................................... 6 List of abbreviations: ............................................................................................................................... 6 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 7 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1. Research context ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.2. Research aims and questions .................................................................................................. 9 1.3. Research methodology and design ....................................................................................... 10 2. Literature review ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.1. Nation-National identity ....................................................................................................... 11 2.2. Constructing and Reconstructing National Identity.............................................................. 13 2.3. Cultural venues (museums and art centres) in constructing and reconstructing the National identity .............................................................................................................................................. 15 2.4. Components of national identity .......................................................................................... 18 3. Research design and methodology ................................................................................................... 23 3.1. Research philosophy and strategy ........................................................................................ 23 3.2. Methods ................................................................................................................................ 24 3.2.1. Comparative case study ................................................................................................ 24 3.2.2. Textual analysis ............................................................................................................. 25 3.2.3. Key stakeholder interviews ........................................................................................... 27 3.2.4. Participation observation .............................................................................................. 29 3.3. Ethical considerations ........................................................................................................... 30 4. Findings and Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 32 4.1. The roles of cultural venues .................................................................................................. 32 4.1.1. St. Fagans ...................................................................................................................... 33 4.1.2. Millennium Centre ........................................................................................................ 35 4.2. The spatiality in Welsh National identity .............................................................................. 38 4.2.1. St Fagans ....................................................................................................................... 38 4.2.2. Millennium Centre ........................................................................................................ 41 4.3. Welsh National Identity in material culture ......................................................................... 43 4.3.1. St Fagans ....................................................................................................................... 44 4.3.2. Millennium Centre ........................................................................................................ 50 3 4.4. Social and cultural life in Welsh identity ............................................................................... 55 4.4.1. St Fagans ....................................................................................................................... 56 4.4.2. Millennium Centre ........................................................................................................ 60 5. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 63 5.1. Constructing and reconstructing Welsh national identity ................................................ 63 5.2. The spatiality ..................................................................................................................... 64 5.3. The “Welsh” things ........................................................................................................... 65 5.4. The “Welshness” ............................................................................................................... 66 5.5. Future research ................................................................................................................. 67 6. Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 68 7. Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 74 Appendix A: Sample interview questions for the representatives of St Fagans National Museum of History and Wales Millennium Centre .............................................................................................. 74 Appendix B: Sample questions for the representatives of the governmental organisations ........... 77 Appendix C: List of the shows at Wales Millennium Centre from 28 March 2017 to 24 November 2018 .................................................................................................................................................. 79 Appendix D: The emphasis on the cultural spatiality of the Welsh government ............................. 82 Appendix E: Ethical Approval Form- Cardiff University .................................................................... 84 4 List of Table Figure 1: Management hierarchies of St Fagans and WMC.................................................................. 28 Figure 2: Observation guidelines .......................................................................................................... 30 Figure 3:Visitors at St Fagans on Saturday 06 May 2017 ...................................................................... 34 Figure 4: School groups at St Fagan on Tuesday 02 May 2017 ............................................................. 35 Figure 5:Area for classrooms in the redeveloped main building of St Fagans ..................................... 35 Figure 7:Busy Wales Millennium Centre on a Saturday evening (06/05/2017) ................................... 37 Figure 6: Quiet Wales Millennium Centre on a Friday afternoon (28/04/2017) .................................. 37 Figure 8: Route from Cardiff Castle (city centre) to St. Fagans National Museum of History (Google Maps, n.d.) ............................................................................................................................................ 38 Figure 9: Origins of the buildings in St Fagans (National Museum Wales, n.d.) ................................... 39 Figure 10: Some urban and contemporary corners of St Fagans ......................................................... 39 Figure 11: Rhyd-y-car terrace and the British Victorian style in some most recent houses ................ 40 Figure 12: Some of the social houses in ST Fagans: St Mary Board's School (left) and Oakdale Workmen's Institute (right) .................................................................................................................