The challenges of living archives for historical knowledge production (LivArch)
LivArch
The LivArch project researches how digital archiving practices can be scientifically recorded and further developed under wartime conditions. It develops methodological and ethical principles for dealing with "living archives" and promotes collaborative authorship.
The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has triggered fundamental changes in the handling of historical sources. Three central developments characterise current research practice: First, community-driven archives are increasingly important, in which citizens and local groups are establishing their own forms of documentation. Second, archive material is now often produced in real time - the separation between event and historical record is becoming more and more blurred. Third, research is shifting to digital sources, not least because many physical archives have been destroyed by war or are inaccessible. These dynamics raise fundamental epistemological, ethical and methodological questions and pose new challenges to the self-image of historical research.
Course of the project
The research project centres on the question of how digital archive practices can be scientifically recorded, evaluated and further developed under the conditions of armed conflicts. A particular focus is on the role of ethical standards, ensuring transparency and the traceability of the origin of materials. The project analyses the extent to which existing standards for describing digital sources meet these requirements and how they need to be further developed in order to fulfil their scientific and social responsibility. The analysis is being carried out in close cooperation with international partner institutions and Ukrainian initiatives on the ground.
Aim
LivArch aims to develop methodological and ethical principles for dealing with so-called "living archives". In particular, it focuses on the question of how collaborative authorship between researchers, activists and contemporary witnessescan be organised and documented. The project develops practice-oriented recommendations for digital archiving in crisis contexts, identifies the epistemological implications of these new forms of archiving and reflects on their impact on historical research as a whole. In addition, LivArch supports Ukrainian researchers and civil society initiatives that are involved in setting up digital archives and testing new standards and methods through workshops, training courses and scholarships.