Multi-Method Interdisciplinary Research In Archival Science: The Case of Recordkeeping, Ethics And Law

This article describes the issues involved in using a multi-method approach to address multi-faceted interdisciplinary research in archival science. The example chosen to illustrate the multi-method approach is taken from recent research, which explored the recordkeeping-ethics-law nexus from the perspective of communities as social systems, regulatory models for recordkeeping and their continuing application to online records. The methods combined traditional archival and social science research techniques, as well as legal and ethics research tools drawn from law and moral philosophy, together with disciplinary discourse analysis, concept mapping and empirical examples to illustrate the concepts. The example demonstrates that complex research questions that cross disciplinary boundaries need to draw from a number of research paradigms and conceptual understandings, which assist in breaking down the barriers with knowledge domains that have to date, had limited contact with archival science.     

档案学实证研究方法运用的状况、问题与建议——基于档案学核心期刊所载文献的统计分析

为进一步了解档案学实证研究方法的运用现状,以档案学核心期刊所载相关文献为样本,利用内容分析法和文献计量分析法,从相关文献分布、数据收集、主题内容等方面揭示档案学实证研究方法的运用状况,发现档案学实证研究方法运用中存在诸如研究主题范围较为狭小、研究流程不规范、数据收集手段单一且缺乏验证、结论过于简单或无结论等方面的问题,进而提出相应的改进建议。     

Emerging themes in Finnish archival science and records management education

The paper focuses on the convergence of Finnish research and education in archival science with information science in general and in records management with information management in particular. Two issues influencing this development are: the convergence of professionals previously worked in the archival and library sectors and in information management and services; and the wide-spread, extensive growth in the use of digital technology to manage internal and external organizational information. At the level of society the opportunities provided by digital technology to manage heritage information in memory organizations like archives, libraries and museums, are tremendous and the role of documentary heritage at the global, European and national levels is well recognized. These developments are changing the information and operating environments of memory organizations and public and private enterprises. These changes, in turn, are generating new requirements in archival science and records management education and research. This paper focuses on the implications of these changes for the planning, implementation and further development of an information studies curriculum. This curriculum development is considered crucial in order to respond to the new demands, and is also implicitly linked to the emerging Finnish information society. This article is based on Huotari, M.-L. and Valtonen, M.R., “Integrating Records and Archives Management with Information Studies in Finland”, in L. Ashcroft (ed.),Continuity, Culture, Competition—the Future of Library and Information Studies Education, Proceedings of the 4th British-Nordic Conference on Library and Information Studies 21–23 March 2001, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 249–254 (Dublin: MCB UP Limited, 2002).     

Building archival knowledge and skills in the digital age

On the basis of over 20-years’ experience teaching in a master’s level program of archival education in a North American university, the author reflects on the relationship between building knowledge of archives and the skills to carry out archival work. Using a report of the Society of American Archivists on the goals and priorities of the archival profession, he examines where and how skill building can become an integral part of archival education in the digital age. This article is little changed from the speech the author gave to open the Third Archival Educator’s Forum held in Boston, Massachusetts on August 2, 2004.     

Contemporary Archival Diplomatics as a Method of Inquiry: Lessons Learned from Two Research Projects

This article explores the use of contemporary archival diplomatics as a method of inquiry in two recent electronic records research projects, namely,The Protection of the Integrity of Electronic Records Project (the UBC Project) and theInternational Research on the Preservation of Authentic Records in Electronic Records Systems Project (the InterPARES 1 Project). The first part of the article examines the historical and contemporary literary warrant underpinning diplomatics as a method of inquiry; the second part provides case studies of two illustrative examples of the process and results of the application of contemporary archival diplomatics in the abovementioned research projects; the third part considers the current status and possible future directions for the use of contemporary archival diplomatics as a research method and concludes with some observations about the value of multiple methods and alternative interpretive frameworks in archival research.     

档案学跨学科研究之我见

跨学科研究是近来学界研究的热门,本文从档案学跨学科研究的先天基础与后天条件入手,对档案学跨学科研究进行了SWOT分析,并在分析其优势、劣势、机会、威胁的基础上提出了"站稳脚跟,发展基础理论"与"摆正心态,切准合作契机"的发展对策。     

What master do we want? What master do we need?

Over the last few decades, archival education has increasingly been successful in obtaining an autonomous position within the university. In order to strengthen this position there is need for more quality research output, but this should not be left to Faculty: the archival profession as a whole should be research-oriented. The author argues that modern definitions of a professional and modern developments in didactics will enable archival education to deliver modern, professional and research-oriented archivists.     

加强档案学研究生研究方法教育的思考

本文指出研究方法对档案学研究的重要性,分析了我国档案学研究生教育中对研究方法的不重视的情况,提出了加强档案学硕士研究生的研究方法课程设想,包括:开设研究方法培训班,建立档案学研究方法课程体系,加强理论与实践的结合等措施。     

档案文化研究的悖论及其消解之道

档案文化问题是近年来我国档案学界研究的热点问题之一,而针对档案文化的社会推广与社会公众档案文化观念的养成是我国档案文化实践的重要内容。然而,当前我国档案学界的档案文化认知与社会层面文化认知存在着明显的冲突,这种冲突衍生出我国档案学界对档案文化问题研究的悖论。本文从分析我国档案文化问题现状入手,阐释了档案文化研究悖论的表现及其成因,并分析了消解档案文化认知冲突的途径。     

Education and research in archival science: General tendencies

This text is essentially based on works carried out for a research which was subsidized from 1997 to 2000 by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The goal of this study was to examine the general tendencies of education and research in archival science. First, a review of the literature published from 1985 to 1998 allowed us to establish a state of the art. Then, a survey was completed with a questionnaire which has been sent to educational institutions, national archives institutions and researchers. Answers were received from more than 70 different countries. With regards to the education program, the analysis of data shows that there have seen notable progresses. More than the growth of the number of programs, we must especially recognize the constant improvement of its contents, which is achieved in conformity with the propositions made in the literature. As for the research, it exists a community of ideas about fields and themes to be privileged even if there is an apparent division of the researchers into two groups. The first group distinguishes itself by its cohesion by unanimously recognizing a small number (nine) of priorities in research in archival science. The second group shows multiple interests which cover 30 research themes. The author conclude in saying that the development of education and research in archival science are on their way, but nothing has yet been won. It is important to accentuate the efforts to insure a durable life to education and research as pillars of the discipline. This text is an overview of a project which has been subsidized by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) from 1997 to 2000. It has been presented in September 2000 in Seville (Spain) at the 10th Symposium of the Section for Archival Education and Training of the International Council on Archives (CIA/SAE).     

2022年中国档案学研究现状、特点及发展趋势——基于对《档案学研究》《档案学通讯》的发文统计

本文结合文献计量分析法和文献研读法,对2022年《档案学研究》和《档案学通讯》所刊发的207篇学术论文进行研究力量布局与研究主题分布分析,并与2021年分析结果相比较,发现高等院校仍是档案学研究的主体力量,来自业界的研究力量有所增强。2022年中国档案学研究依旧关注“档案学基础理论”“档案治理”“档案与数字人文”“电子文件”“中国古文书学”等主题,但也涌现了“红色档案”和“档案学科建设与发展”等新主题;研究特点上呈现显著的本土化和跨学科性,但在关注“人”的需求、跨学科的双向互动以及研究深度上仍有待加强。未来中国档案学研究仍需立足中国档案工作的实际和需求,对从西方移植的理论进行本土化、中国化的过滤和处理,对中国传统的档案思想进行创新性转化和发展,同时,基于档案工作、档案事业发展的新实践和新需求,提出新的思想和理论。     

关于全国档案学专业高等教育发展情况调查的统计与分析(下)

本文根据教育部高等学校档案学学科教学指导委员会所做的全国档案学专业高等教育发展情况调查所收集的数据整理而成,主要包括档案学专业基本情况、档案学专业教师基本情况、档案学专业教师科研情况、档案学专业课程建设基本情况、档案学专业招生与就业情况五个方面的内容。     

Introducing critical race theory to archival discourse: Getting the conversation started

This article introduces the application of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to archival discourse in order to demonstrate how such a critical and analytical approach can help identify and raise social and professional consciousness of implicit racial bias. To demonstrate the potential of CRT, the paper discusses how the terminology and methodological structures of CRT might be applied to some aspects of archival theory and practice. The paper concludes that CRT can contribute to a diversified archival epistemology that can influence the creation of collective and institutional memories that impact underrepresented and disenfranchised populations and the development of their identities. This article opens with the title of West's classic monograph as the launching point because of its dual literary context, which frames ‘race matters’ as topic and affirmation. In this instance it is the affirmative statement that is the context confirming that race is worthy of the importance and focus this article stresses. See West (2001).     

On archival pluralism: what religious pluralism (and its critics) can teach us about archives

Recent work has stressed the importance of pluralism in archival education, practice, and research. By examining the promises and perils of pluralism as it has been constructed in another field—religion—this article analyzes, expands, and delineates the notion of archival pluralism in a way that helps form the conceptual foundation for further work on pluralistic approaches to archival education, theory and practice. More specifically, it argues that archival pluralism can learn from four basic principles of religious pluralism—energetic engagement, understanding, strengthened commitment, and dialog—while at the same time avoiding four major perils: claims of universality, inattention to power, silencing dissent, and collapsing of difference. First, this article presents a brief discourse analysis tracing the emergence and development of archival pluralism in the literature to date. Next, turning to how pluralism has been constructed in another field, this article gives a brief overview of conceptions of religious pluralism using the work of two of its most prominent American scholars as guideposts and then addresses the strengths and weaknesses of this conceptualization of pluralism in the religious sphere. Next, this article proposes how religious pluralism’s main principles and pitfalls can be adapted and applied in the realm of memory keeping in order to strengthen the conceptual framework for archival pluralism. It concludes by suggesting aspects of a research agenda for future work in archival pluralism.     

Teaching Macroappraisal: A View of the Literature

The author, who is Guest Reviews Editor for this special issue on macro-appraisal, introduces and provides context for four review articles, written by archival educators from Canada, the United States, and Australia, that discuss the most important works they use to teach macroappraisal and why these works are chosen. While each article demonstrates the unique characteristics of the archival education program in which the author is situated, they are united by a common theme—the need for educators to prepare students, as best they can, to take their places as practising professional archivists.     

档案学研究运用比较研究法成果特征分析

文章从论文数量分布、来源分布、涉及国家或地区分布和研究主题分布等方面对2012-2019年档案学研究运用比较研究法的论文进行调查统计,分析档案学研究中比较研究法运用的现状和特征,并与学者对2006-2011年间的研究结果进行对比分析。调查结果表明,比较研究法在成为档案学硕士学位论文采用的重要研究方法的同时,得到了许多档案学者和档案学核心期刊编审专家的重视和认可,其作为档案学重要研究方法的地位得以确立,且横向比较成为档案学比较研究的主要形式,这是档案学研究运用该方法的基本特征。档案学研究运用比较研究法成果的具体特征表现为:档案法规、政策及标准研究范围扩大,电子文件与电子档案成为持续研究的重点,档案服务成为档案工作研究的核心,档案学理论研究的内容更加丰富,档案文化研究出现新的趋向。     

So much to learn, so little time to learn it: North American archival education programs in the information age and the role for certificate programs

Archivists in North America have described, discussed, and debated the necessary and optimal content, configuration, and venue for archival education for close to a century but have given little consideration to integrating technology within archival curricula. Increasingly, archivists are faced with a high tech world in which they must understand issues including information systems, the nature of electronic records and databases, record migration, digitization, and web design and creation for provision of access. This paper explores the nature and extent of information technology and information science coursework and knowledge discussed in the Society of American Archivists’ Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies and that students have available to them while in archival programs. It concludes with a proposal for Library and Information Science education programs that prepare archivists to explore developing Certificate of Advanced Studies programs in archival management on top of master’s degrees to allow for additional information science coursework.     

Documenting Communities of Practice: Making the Case for Archival Ethnography*

This paper seeks to present a new direction for archival research: ethnographic fieldwork. The author argues that this set of qualitative methods presents new opportunities for researchers to study phenomena in archival settings. Using the author's research on competing definitions of value in the world of film preservation as a case study, this article gives readers unversed in ethnography and grounded theory a primer which may be used as a starting point for considering how to apply such qualitative methods to the design of new research agendas and to solve questions specific to the archival domain. This paper is a revised version of the methodological chapter of the author's dissertation:The Imperative to Preserve: Competing Definitions of Value in the World of Film Preservation, PhD dissertation (Los Angeles: UCLA, 2001).     

Archival education in scandinavia

In the Scandinavian countries, archival education and training are provided by a great number of actors. There are no traditional archives schools in the sense of the école de chartes but all the other forms of education and training are available. Archival science has a strong presence in universities especially in Sweden, Finland and Norway. A typically Scandinavian characteristic is the prominent role of the National Archives Services as providers of archival education and training. In Finland the National Archives Service has two comprehensive programmes, resulting in formal degrees, for people working in archival duties in the administration or in the private sector. Another markedly Scandinavian characteristic is that records management has a prominent role in educational and training programmes. Also archival associations and foundations are mong the actors in the field of education and training in Scandinavia. The Norwegian “Arkivakademiet” and the Finnish Association of Business Archivists are good examples of this.