Fieldwork seminar: Visual memories - repatriation of archival films in Greenland

Fieldwork seminar with Anne Mette Jørgensen

Abstract

With my research I wish to contribute to the well-established and dynamic field of memory studies, specifically by researching into the role that film archives may play in processes of establishing, negotiating and revising memory archives. Although several scholars (Assmann, Macdougall, Nichols) have acknowledged a prominence of visuality in memory works the particular qualities of visual mediation have rarely been studied. I hope to be able to answer to how and why film may catalyze memory works?

The point of departure for my fieldworks is a repatriation of archival film material from the National Museum in Copenhagen to cultural history museums in the parts of west Greenland where the film material has been recorded. The material documents transitions from a hunter society to modernised lifeways and industrialisation of fishing and mining, hereby offering a window for reflection on questions of identification that are topical for Greenlanders today. In the aftermath of ’the archival turn’ I facilitate processes that will question “what kinds of truth-claims lie in documentation” (Stoler). This is a point in time where the Greenlandic postcolony is vividly discussing reconciliation and history revision and my research into actual and potential uses of archival films in Greenlandic museum contexts is framed by that context while also contributing to it.

 

I am about to go on fieldwork and at the ToRS seminar I wish to discuss how to stay focused concerning

  • the framing of my fieldworks in various localities and among a diversity of informants
  • how to operationalize my research questions in the specific interview questions
  • the status of very diverse data produced both within and outside the timeframe of the fieldwork in Greenland
  • and probably a few other things!

 

ECTS: 1,8 for paper presentation and 0,3 for active participation.

 Sign up to: raudvere@hum.ku.dk

in order to receive material(s) for the seminar

Fieldwork in the Humanities – a series of PhD seminars at ToRS

 Fieldwork is at the core of many of the PhD projects at ToRS and a productive period ’in the field’ is crucial for a successful thesis. The time allowed for fieldwork is, however, limited and it is therefore of importance to have an opportunity to discuss plans and alternatives, to be able to share experiences after coming back from fieldwork and to have response on drafts of analysis when the thesis text is about to take shape.

We would therefore like to introduce a series of regular PhD seminars at ToRS on the uses of fieldwork in the humanities. During the seminars there will be an opportunity to present texts (plans, reports, drafts of analysis), discuss and scrutinize various methods for fieldwork – and report experiences as well as discuss theoretical reflections on fieldwork as a method. Fieldwork can be conducted in a number of ways and from very different analytical perspectives; many of them at work in various ToRS projects. The purpose of the seminars is not to streamline your projects, but to open up a forum for discussions about how to plan a fieldwork and still be flexible, choices of documentation, follow-up and where to draw the line. In short: share and learn from others; from tentative research questions to submission of a thesis based on fieldwork.

 

Some of the issues that will be discussed during the seminars:

  • designing a fieldwork plan and preparing for surprises and change of plans
  • the relation between research questions and choice of field method
  • documentation: technique, ethics and archiving
  • follow-up and processual analysis
  • combining fieldwork material(s) with other sources
  • combining fieldwork material(s) with historical studies
  • literature on fieldwork

 

It is strongly recommended that those of you who use fieldwork material in your thesis continuously take active part in these seminars. The seminars are intended to be a platform for discussions for every stage of fieldwork and for fieldwork in the broadest understanding of the concept. Archaeological, archival, literary and political angles are more than welcome.

 

Each seminar has a theme, and literature will be circulated beforehand as a preparation for the discussions. At each seminar will also one, or more PhD, candidate(s) present a piece from her/his on-going work.

 

ECTS: 1,8 for paper presentation and 0,3 for active participation.