(Digital) Archives and Collections (D.AC)

Who collects and safeguards the notes, reports, and mails of rebel or resistance groups in and after conflict? Where do we find spaces to collect and safe the witness statements and confidential, often hidden communication of human rights activists on incidents of state-sponsored violence? What happens to the many documents of development organizations after the end of their projects?

Archiving

The protection, preservation, and accessibility of diverse data sources from various global and local arenas of development, security, and justice are of paramount importance, not solely for academic or policy-oriented research. Archives and collections, whether originating from state institutions, international organizations, or non-state actors, serve as repositories of collective memories and narratives. They embody sites of learning and can serve as arenas for participation and even contestation of dominant knowledge. Additionally, archives play a crucial role in legal proceedings, inquiries, and truth commissions, in the attempt to find justice.

However, the preservation of archives and collections, including digital data, presents many challenges. Few actors and institutions, particularly those beyond the state like rebel or resistance groups, smaller Non-Governmental Organizations and individuals, possess substantial resources for preservation. Conversely, conflicts, war, and simple neglect can result in the systematic erasure, displacement or loss of data. Equally problematic is the sheer volume of data, not only traditional documents, but also new data generated through social media and new technologies, which complicates the preservation and systematic engagement with archives and collections. Engagement with such collections and archives is important, to avoid more loss of valuable knowledge.

Challenges

Our research group grapples with methodological and epistemological challenges inherent in more recent archives and data collections, spanning from official, structured archives to personal, unrefined, occasionally hidden, and so-called counter-collections from realms of development, security, conflict, and justice. Some key dimensions of our work include:

• Identifying archives and collections from development, justice and security contexts and the connected key stakeholders, and attempting to foster academic and societal discourse on these archives and collections.

• Addressing aspects of preservation, access, digitization, and curation of archives and collections in digital and physical spaces (e.g., libraries, museums, etc.), also in connection to Artificial Intelligence

• Enabling conversation between academic research, libraries, archives, and the community of Groningen and the wider Dutch society.

• Navigating epistemological and ethical considerations when working with archives and collections.

The group endeavors to furnish resources on these dimensions and facilitate regular meetings, presentations, and networking events. Supporting the development of interdisciplinary research projects further constitutes an integral part of our collective efforts.