| Abstract | This paper briefly discusses how pluralisation of the Archive can help society to address bitter pasts through reconciliation in the present. It refers to Australian and U.S. examples emanating from the concerns and experiences of Indigenous communities, and populations that have been historically marginalized and discriminated against based on gender or sexual identity. Both populations present very distinct issues and concerns, but each is frequently misconstrued as a uniform group, thus glossing over its complexity and diversity. Through these examples, we wish to provoke readers to contemplate several questions: What are the ethical imperatives for archives and archivists to address the legacy of past injustices? How can traditional institutional archives support multiple stories and also protect vulnerable communities and individuals associated with the records? How can differently configured archives enable oppressed, ignored and misrepresented communities and individuals to tell their stories in their own ways? How can record keeping and documentation practices address the needs of parts of communities that have been broken up or dispersed, or are closeted or underground? How can archival and recordkeeping theory and practice be transformed to support an archival multiverse? |
