Ten years of archival science

This article reviews how the journal Archival Science––International Journal on Recorded Information in the first 10 years has endeavoured to be integrated, interdisciplinary, and intercultural in promoting the development of archival science as an autonomous scientific discipline.     

A first introduction to archival science

This first introduction, written for educational purposes, is meant to be a concise basic text in which the core concepts of archival science are coherently defined and explained, in a non-polemical way and departing from a de-institutionalised point of view. It is not intended to support or reject any single theory, but to provide an overview. It should be read as a synthesis of a variety of shared ideas and views, not as a manifesto of a new approach to archival science. If there is anything new to it, it might be located in the coherent and integrated presentation. In this primer of archival science annotation has been avoided. The first of several versions of this First Introduction was written in August 1995. It was meant to meet the need of the Netherlands Archiefschool for a basic text on archival science which could support its different programs for archival education and training. After ample discussion with the archival science teachers of the Archiefschool, it was introduced in the 1995/1996 courses. From then on, it has been used in almost all courses and classes on archival science on the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels and in several training and retraining programs of the Archiefschool. The design of the first version has been maintained in all subsequent versions, including this last one. Still, the text has frequently been adapted as a result of discussions with students and colleagues, in and outside the school. This first English version can almost be deemed as a collective product. Of the numerous colleagues who were engaged in this discussion and contributed to the text, special mention has to be made of Peter Horsman, Hans Scheurkogel, Hans Hofman, Eric Ketelaar, Herman Coppens and Kent Hayworth, who commented the English version. For the final text and all imperfections that may still cling to it I am, of course, responsible. An earlier version in Dutch has been published as: Theo thomassen, “Een korte introductie in de archivistiek”, in: P.J. Horsman, F.C.J. Ketelaar en T.H.P.M. Thomassen (red.),Naar een nieuw paradigma in de archivistiek ('s-Gravenhage, 1999), pp. 11–20.     

The impact of digital technology on archival science

Archival science is to be regarded as a system. The properties of that system can be investigated and integrated. The methodology to do so has been tested in two research projects which are presented in this article as examples of the way in which the view of archival science as a system supports the development of new knowledge and as a demonstration of the stability of archival theory. This article presupposes that the archival discipline is also a “science”. Many have argued against the idea on the basis of a common perception that a science is a type of study entirely objective by virtue of the rigorous manner in which it is carried out and the restricted range of topics to which it applies. In fact, the activity of science is based upon a complex framework of assumptions that make it possible for the landscape of the scientific endeavour to be redrawn over time, and, while striving towards objectivity, considers it to be an unattainable ideal.     

The impact of digital technology on archival science

Archival science is to be regarded as a system. The properties of that system can be investigated and integrated. The methodology to do so has been tested in two research projects which are presented in this article as examples of the way in which the view of archival science as a system supports the development of new knowledge and as a demonstration of the stability of archival theory. This article presupposes that the archival discipline is also a “science”. Many have argued against the idea on the basis of a common perception that a science is a type of study entirely objective by virtue of the rigorous manner in which it is carried out and the restricted range of topics to which it applies. In fact, the activity of science is based upon a complex framework of assumptions that make it possible for the landscape of the scientific endeavour to be redrawn over time, and, while striving towards objectivity, considers it to be an unattainable ideal.     

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。     

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).     

归属与超越：档案学学科属性研究

学科属性问题决定着学科发展的方向,在学术研究中具有基础地位.笼统地说档案学是综合学科、应用学科或管理学科并不能满足人们的学术期待,事实上,建立在具体实务基础上的学科,诸如银行学、图书馆学、土地资源管理等等,都具有综合学科、应用学科或管理学科的某些特征.而档案学的"自然科学化"、"社会科学化"和"人文科学化"诉求,也是一厢情愿的依附,并最终导致档案学本身缺乏学科独立性和创新性.需要对这种依附状态进行适度颠覆.     

中国档案学尊严的解读与实现

基于对中国档案学尊严内在要素及外部表征的分析,提出从内铸品质、外塑形象两方面来促进中国档案学尊严的实现。     

从引文分析看档案学与图书馆学、情报学的学科融合

从引文分析的角度,利用档案期刊论文的参考文献来研究档案学借鉴图书情报领域相关知识情况及其随时间变化的发展趋势,同时,对学科交叉部分进行词频分析,把握图情档三学科关注的共同问题。从而体现出信息化战略背景下,档案学的研究对象和研究内容的拓展和延伸。     

档案文献编纂学新说

根据北京高等教育精品教材建设立项的要求,从思想史、方法论和出版物三个方面重新编写档案文献编纂学,并且遵从项目管理的方式设计和规划该部教材编写的实施过程,力争在科学性和可读性有所建树。     

再论档案学理论原创性研究

该文首先反思了中国档案学理论建设和发展的深层次历史和现实问题,提出21世纪应大力加强中围档案学理论原创性的研究。     

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).     

档案学的学术尊严与基层档案工作者的职业尊严

档案学的学术尊严不是孤立的,它同时还包括档案工作者的职业尊严。档案学要充分发挥自身的实践品质。在理论联系实际方面,在档案学科建设与档案实践方面有所作为。如果档案工作者职业尊严缺失,那么所谓档案学的学术尊严也就不复存在,档案学的学术尊严就必将是空中楼阁。     

谈档案科学技术研究项目的管理

一、档案科学技术研究选题的确定 1.必要性 开展一项档案科研课题,是发展档案事业和实际工作的需要.在初步确定档案科研方向以后,组织力量开展有关该项研究的国内外发展现状的调查与分析,找出在涉足领域里同行们的普遍关注而又亟待解决的问题,从中选择适宜的课题.     

从档案学视角看网站文件的归档

随着电子商务和电子政务的兴起,政府和企业以及其他机构纷纷建立自己的门户网站,将现实机构虚拟化,通过网站发布信息,提供服务,实现其管理和服务职能,极大地提高了办公效率,增强了办公的透明度.网站已经成为机构在网络空间开展业务活动的主要平台,网站开展业务活动的过程中形成许多具有原始记录性的电子文件,这些网站文件对于组织机构和人类社会来说都具有重大的意义.     

中国档案学研究的得与失

通过考察近年来我国档案学研究的主要变化,分析引发研究领域拓展和成果数量增长的深层次原因,提出其外在驱动力主要源于"学界之外"和"国门之外",并指出当前中国档案学研究还存在学科结构失调、核心内容流失、过度格式化带来的系列问题。