Two sides of the same coin? Exploring the relationship between archival research and practice
A special issue of Archives & Manuscripts from the Australian Society of Archivists’ Research and Education Special Interest Group, edited by Dr Mike Jones (REDSIG Convenor/University of Tasmania) and Rachel Tropea (RMIT University).
Expressions of interest due 4 August 2023.
Full articles/contributions due 20 October 2023.
“In the end, whether theory and method are closely aligned and actualized in practice will depend not on the power of the theory, but on the power of individuals, professional organizations, and institutions.”
Heather MacNeil, ‘Archival Theory and Practice: Between Two Paradigms’, Archivaria, 1994.
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.”
Benjamin Brewster, 1882
Since the mid-twentieth century, Australia has been widely recognised for innovative approaches to the practice and theory of archives and records, from the Australian Series System to the Records Continuum Model. But the relationship between archival work, records management, and contemporary theory and research is not always clear, nor is it unproblematic. Some archivists engage in long-standing theoretical discussions about the nature of records, evidence, and provenance, or try to apply concepts like continuum theory and radical empathy in their professional roles. Others struggle to see the relevance of research methods, abstract models, or theoretical debates to their daily work.
For this special issue of Archives & Manuscripts, from the ASA’s Research and Education Special Interest Group (REDSIG), we are seeking papers that explore the interface between research and practice in Australia, including: the challenges and rewards for practitioners in engaging with and applying research in their work; the value (and accompanying difficulties) for researchers when seeking to demonstrate and develop the practical implications of their research; and the complex relationship between the two that characterises the archival profession and archival education.
We strongly encourage pieces from practitioners (including first time contributors to Archives & Manuscripts), and articles co-developed with practitioners, education staff, institutional representatives, and community collaborators. Preference will be given to these pieces over and above proposals authored solely by recognised researchers.
Submissions should be sent via email to: mjones@archivists.org.au
We are seeking diverse papers and contributions in a variety of formats including:
Some of the questions you might consider exploring include:
Author guidelines for peer-reviewed articles and reflection articles are available from Archives & Manuscripts (https://publications.archivists.org.au/index.php/asa/guidelines). If you would like further advice on any of these contribution types, or if you have opinions on the questions above but are not sure about the best way of expressing them, please feel free to contact the editors via Mike Jones (mjones@archivists.org.au).
Some authors of peer reviewed articles will be invited to contribute to the peer review process for the issue and are encouraged (though not obliged) to participate. Peer reviewed articles will also receive comments from at least one external reviewer. All contributions (including peer reviewed articles) will receive editorial comments from the editors.
The guest editors for this issue are Dr Mike Jones (REDSIG Convenor/University of Tasmania) and Rachel Tropea (RMIT University). Mike and Rachel have both worked at the interface between research and practice for their whole careers, including while working together at the University of Melbourne’s eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC). Mike left the ESRC to complete his PhD, and has since worked at the Australian National University and the University of Tasmania. Though his main focus is now research, he continues to provide advice, consultancy, and support to GLAM sector practitioners in a variety of contexts. Rachel moved from research and project management roles at the ESRC into management positions, including at the University of Melbourne Archives, and now as Senior Coordinator, RMIT University Archives. Though her main focus is now practice, she continues to engage with and apply contemporary research findings and methods in her work.
Key dates
4 August 2023 Submit response to call for papers, including short (100 word) biographies of all contributors, and:
11 August 2023 Contributors notified
20 October 2023 Full articles/contributions due
15 December 2023 Peer reviews and editorial comments returned to all contributors
5 February 2024 Final articles/contributions due
February/March Special issue published
About the Journal
Archives and Manuscripts is the professional and scholarly journal of the Australian Society of Archivists, publishing articles, reviews, and information about the theory and practice of archives and recordkeeping in Australasia and around the world. Its target audiences are archivists and other recordkeeping professionals, the academic community, and all involved in the study and interpretation of archives. Learn more >>
Metrics and Indexing
Archives and Manuscripts is indexed by Australian Public Affairs Information Services, Australian Education Index, Library and Information Science Abstracts, Historical Abstracts, Library Information Science & Technology Abstracts, SCOPUS, TOC Premier, the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and is included on the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training Register of Refereed Journals.
