Critical Paradigm Approach in Preservation and Conservation Studies: An Initial Note

Abstract

Abstract This article discusses the application of a critical paradigm approach, including activism, in studies of preservation and conservation in libraries, information institutions, and local communities. Based on a literature review, it explores a variety of writing and research on the preservation and conservation of objects, focusing on social and humanities approaches and critical analysis. Different approaches in preservation and conservation in libraries and other information institutions beyond traditional practices will be discussed and activism in the context of preservation and conservation will be examined. We hope that this article will encourage research on preservation and conservation that involves critical explanations and in-depth investigations, that it will provide space for critical thinking which moves towards a constructivist paradigm and that it will generate knowledge about activism within a conservation framework. This paper is not intended to challenge researchers or scholars who have followed a more positivistic approach in their studies of preservation and conservation, but rather as a reflection to provide space to engage in critical thinking and alternative approaches.