DisArch
Dissonant Narratives across Archives in the Age of Documediality

DisArch - Dissonant Narratives across Archives in the Age of Documediality

DisArch aims to explore "dissonant narratives" related to archives in light of the most recent studies on memory and visual culture. The University of Bergamo and IULM University will delve into the models, ideologies, and projects that have contributed to the modern and contemporary development of archival practices. The DisArch research group will conduct an investigation into collective and cultural memory, focusing on the interstitial areas of historical archives considered part of the "mainstream" heritage.

To identify these “dissonant narratives,” the research will also extend to minor archives and digital repositories containing literary and audiovisual memories. The objective is to examine the narrative models and rhetorical structures that may have contributed to shaping archival epistemology, taking into account that every model entails dominant narratives that establish archival criteria.

Case studies will include archives of “dissonant heritage,” such as the Black Cultural Archive, Lagna – Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive, Gerber/Hart Library and Archive, ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, the Archiv der deutschen Jugendbewegung, the Georg-Schweinfurth Archive, the Stefan Zweig Archive, and the archives of the Mahn- und Gedenkstätte Ravensbrück. The research will also focus on digital collections of visual and audiovisual data, literary collections, translations, official documents, diaries, and letters, such as the Science Fiction Hub, the Times Digital Archive, the Daily Mail Archive, the Guardian Archive, the Scalero Archive, the Museum of Bergamo’s Stories Archive.

The results will be disseminated through online presentations, workshops, symposia, conferences, educational kits, school activities, and contributions to national and international conferences. Access to the results will be provided via this DisArch website.