Comparing Representations of Macedonian Identity in Thessaloniki and Skopje Museums

Taylor, Sarah; Lilley, Ethan; Durant, Sarah; Dean, Stephanie

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Comparing Representations of Macedonian Identity in Thessaloniki and Skopje Museums

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Macedonian identity is a complex concept with two contradictory narratives in Greece and North Macedonia. Ownership disputes over the Macedonian name and identity have caused regional conflicts. The project goal was to document and analyze representations of Macedonian identity in museums and explore how framing and curation shape memory on individual and national scales. The team analyzed two museums, one in Skopje, North Macedonia, and the other in Thessaloniki, Greece. Through observation, documentation, and interviews, the team found that the museums shared a similar purpose of history representation and education. However, their identities are incompatible and divergent. Their failure to recognize the other side in this struggle does nothing to recognize or diminish regional tensions.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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