معرفی
Dr Rosie Spooner is a Lecturer in Information Studies within the School of Humanities at the University of Glasgow. She specializes in the history, theory and practice of museums and heritage sites within imperial contexts, with particular expertise in critical museology and decolonial approaches to heritage.
Dr Spooner's educational background includes:
- PhD in History of Art from the University of Glasgow (2013-2016)
- Master's degree in History (colonialism, empire and race pathway) from the University of Bristol (2008-2009)
- Undergraduate degree in Single Honours History from the University of Glasgow (2002-2006)
Dr Spooner's research sits at the intersection of British imperial history, critical museology, and decolonial theory. Her work examines how museums and heritage spaces functioned as tools of empire through object collection, classification, and display. She investigates how heritage construction intersects with contested histories of colonialism and explores progressive, anti-racist museum practices. Her current projects include analyzing Glasgow's international exhibitions (1888-1938) and developing walking as a critical heritage research method.
Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on decolonial heritage practices, with particular emphasis on walking methodologies, imperial legacies in Scottish contexts, and the intersection of AI with indigenous knowledge systems. Her work consistently engages with critical approaches to museum studies, postcolonial theory, and the material manifestations of empire in urban spaces.
Dr Spooner has received several prestigious awards for her work:
- 2022: Team Teaching Award, College of Arts & Humanities, University of Glasgow
- 2017: Research Development Fund Award, Glasgow School of Art
- 2015: Vivien Hughes Prize, British Association for Canadian Studies
- 2013: Research Project Bursary, Cultural Artefacts, Buildings, Landscapes, Environments: Scotland
- 2014-2015: Hunterian Associate, Fellowship Programme, The Hunterian
- 2013: Graduate Scholar Award, Inclusive Museum Research Network
Dr Spooner is an active supervisor of PhD research, currently guiding projects on topics including Scottish museums and Black Lives Matter, decolonial initiatives in historic house settings, and Egyptian heritage conservation. She has also led significant collaborative projects including iREAL (Inclusive Requirements Elicitation for AI in Libraries), funded through the AHRC's Bridging Responsible AI Divides scheme. Her external advisory roles include serving on the Decolonising Advisory Group at V&A Dundee and the Decolonisation Leaders Network with the UK Museums Association.
Dr Spooner co-directs the Decolonise Glasgow Arts Lab and is involved with the Beniba Centre for Slavery Studies at the University of Glasgow. Her practice-led research includes creating critical heritage walking tours that expose underrepresented histories of empire in Glasgow's public spaces, particularly through events like Black History Month in Scotland and the Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival.
