Archives, Museums & Power

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This seminar is an introduction to the critical study of archives, and is suitable not only for History majors but any student wishing to think about the ways that institutions present narratives about the past (and inherently the present) and produce access to information.. Historians are generally aware that archives are not mere repositories of information, but we do not always think about the ways buildings and institutions guide our research. We will read theoretical critiques of archives, with special attention to the ways that archives marginalize, naturalize, or silence certain bodies and practices. We will also carry out a practicum, visiting London's extraordinary libraries, museums and archives, as well as those hosted online, to see how these issues play out in particular ways.