Midwestern State University Associate Professor of History Leland Turner says that the common claim that "everything is bigger in Texas" is rooted in a prevailing opinion among Texans that their state is exceptional and somehow superior to other states and other places. Similar belief systems exist in Queensland, Australia - some call it the Queensland Difference.

Turner will discuss the concept of "Texceptionalism and the Big Difference: Bigness and Cultural Mythology in Queensland and Texas" during the next Faculty Forum at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, in Legacy Hall's Multipurpose Room.

Turner says that cowboys, stockmen, cattle, and wide open, arid spaces are powerful icons of such beliefs. "For various reasons it is from such rural cattle economies dependent on enormous spaces that cultural identities evolved," Turner said. "Significant cultural values such as rugged individualism and, of course, bigness inform the myths of exceptionalism that permeate the history of both regions."

Queensland and Texas share a history of relatively recent Anglo settlement, important cattle industries, rural economies dependent on inexpensive labor, and difficult race relations. The states have historical elements in common that make a comparative study of regional identity relevant, Turner says.

Faculty Forum is a monthly showcase for the research and creative endeavors of the Midwestern State University faculty. It is an opportunity for the campus and Wichita Falls communities to learn, engage, and sometimes discuss the novel ideas and explorations of the talented individuals who teach, discover, and create at MSU Texas. Admission is free and open to all.

Contact Jonathan Price at jonathan.price@msutexas.edu or 940-397-4288 for more information.