Television has, throughout its existence, been regarded as a window to the world as well as a reflection of national and regional identities and cultures. The art of film has left us with a wealth of works which contribute to our visual world heritage. Television and film archives provide rich collections of images, sounds, and artefacts related to television broadcasts, film screenings, and production practices of both. As with so many archival collections, archive items not digitally born are being digitized, and increasingly collections are made accessible through the internet, providing worldwide access to television’s and film’s history.
Researchers working with online (audiovisual) archives find a wealth of online digital materials. However, to understand such sources, researchers largely depend on metadata, usually provided by the content provider (archives, broadcasters), often in an incomplete and inconsistent manner. At the same time, separated from their original context within a programme, film, or practice, archival material becomes detached from its original meaning creating environment, and may be taken up in a new setting by the researcher, giving it a novel, or additional, meaning. Thus, the use and re-use of archival material by researchers provides opportunities for confirmation as well as resistance to the original, to its context, and its meaning. Re-contextualization opens spaces for reinterpretation, for renewed understanding, and for alternative readings.
A panel on Visual Culture working group is proposed here to create a stage for the discussion of the use of online audiovisual archives in research. It may include but is not limited to:
- theories of the digital archive:
- on forming collections
- the role of metadata for research
- researchers as metadata creators
- ethical issues of metadata creation and publication
- sustainability of the online archive
- collaboration between public and private bodies
- the need for interdisciplinary work
- ontology and epistemology of the digital
- ethics of digital research
- methods and tools for searching, researching, and analysing digital sources:
- epistemologies of research tools
- various uses of tools (black box vs critical)
- challenges of access to online audiovisual archives or archival material
- research practices:
- use of online audiovisual archives as sources of primary material
- challenges of using and re-using digital audiovisual sources (remix, mash-ups)
- publications: academic videos / online publications
- research projects
- digital audiovidual collections and their management and maintenance
Audiovisual history online
On the use of online audiovisual archives in scholarship
Call for proposals
IAMCR 2015 – panel Visual Culture working group
IAMCR
The International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) is a worldwide professional organisation in the field of media and communication research. Its members promote global inclusiveness and excellence within the best traditions of critical scholarship in the field.
In line with the CfP of IAMCR’s Visual Culture working group, only abstracts in English will be accepted. However, presentations and sessions in English, French or Spanish will be facilitated.
Proposal submission
Proposals for this panel of up to 200 words are welcome and can be submitted to w.sanders@uu.nl. The deadline for submission is Friday 16 January 2015.
Queries about this call for proposals can be addressed to:
Willemien Sanders, PhD, Utrecht University, w.sanders@uu.nl
Berber Hagedoorn, MA, Utrecht University, b.hagedoorn@uu.nl
Liliana Melgar E., MA, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, lilimelgar@gmail.com
Relevant websites:
www.iamcr.org
http://iamcr.org/s-wg/working-group/visual-culture
http://congresiamcr.uqam.ca