Chapter 1. Theorizing Digital Archives: Power, Access and New Order

Abstract

One of my first encounters with archives and collections took place several years ago. I was at a German ethnographic museum and an employee suggested I conduct research on an Indian photographic collection from the 1920s, recently acquired by the museum. Eager to see the collection, I sent a formal request to the head of the museum’s collection and archives. However, I received no reply. After a few weeks, I called the head of collection and archives to see if they had received my request. They had, but I was bluntly told by the head that as she did not