Use Of Archival Material Research Articles

Formation and Training of the Staff of Preschool Institutions in Western Siberia in the 1920s–1930s

The article analyzes the process of formation and training of personnel for preschool institutions in Western Siberia in 1920–1930s. Based on the use of archival materials, the process of training preschool workers in 1920–1930s is characterized, the key points of work in kindergartens in cities and villages of Western Siberia in accordance with the goals of state policy in the specified period are determined. A comprehensive analysis of methodological recommendations and materials for work in preschool institutions allowed to identify the main directions of professional training of teachers. The aim of the article is to reveal the process of formation and training of the staff of preschool institutions in Western Siberia in 1920–1930s. Methodology. The methodological basis of the research was formed by a set of general scientific principles, among which the leading place belongs to: the principles of dialectics, historicism, objectivity, integrity of approach in the process of studying and evaluating the revealed facts, the systematic nature of the phenomena and processes under consideration; the principles of scientific and pedagogical research. The historical-system method contributed to the consideration of the functioning of preschool institutions as a single integrated system within the framework of the relationship “kindergarten – pedagogical staff”. Results of the study. The conclusion is made that the process of formation of staff composition of preschool institutions in Western Siberia in 1920-1930 was influenced by the following factors. The organization of kindergarten staff training consisted of short-term courses, which began to open actively from the early 1920s in the cities of Western Siberia. The system of short-term courses could not always correspond to the actual work in kindergartens. Despite the active development of the network of preschool institutions by the 1930s, kindergartens still needed more professional staff.

Kurdish Insurgents and Postgeneration: „Big Village” as an Interactive Memory Work

The Kurdish people, lacking a sovereign state of their own, reside within the boundaries of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, where they are subjected to the rules and identities of these nations, often facing restrictions on their cultural expression. This situation has disabled their entry into the filmmaking, with documentaries becoming their preferred medium due to its cost-effectiveness and simpler technical demands. These documentaries typically delve into the Kurds’ painful historical experiences. Big Village (2020), directed by Beri Shalmashi and Lyangelo Vazquez, stands out as the first Kurdish interactive web documentary (i-doc). It intricately weaves personal and social narratives, focusing on several families and a Kurdish insurgent group from Eastern Kurdistan. The i-doc explores the stories of the former residents of Gewredê, a village that has since vanished. It uniquely blends old photos and video clips to craft its narrative. This study aims to analyse Big Village through the lens of the insurgents’ memories, the inherited memories of their children, and the use of archival materials, examining how an interactive documentary can effectively communicate historical traumas to modern viewers.

Archives as forms of resistance

ABSTRACT This visual essay explores a number of artistic and curatorial practices in which the archive acts as a primary tool for rereading histories. Contemporary art reveals a growing interest in the use of archival material and in the formation of new archives inside and outside institutions. Considering the archive as a series of documented and preserved knowledge, one motivation for such attentiveness could be the merging of artistic productions with curatorial practices. Building my argument on Irit Rogoff's analysis of curatorial practice as an “epistemic structure”, I examine how archives have the potential to produce knowledge against historical forgetfulness. Furthermore, the process of sustainable changes within the museums, as discussed by Peter Osborne, is studied here as another motive for the increasing use of archives in contemporary art. This is done by focused examinations of a research-based exhibition, Karnameh: Visual Culture of Iranian Children (1950-1980); two curatorial projects (one temporary and one ongoing), respectively Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art's Poster and the Archaeology of the Final Decade (AOTFD) and lastly an installation art piece, Documentation. Through these examples, I argue how working with archives, especially in conflicted places, is crucial to help with recovering erased histories and accumulating shattered memories.

Rewriting history: a conversation between Parham Taghioff and Hamidreza Karami

ABSTRACT This illustrated conversation between Parham Taghioff and Hamidreza Karami focuses on Taghioff’s profound engagement with history and the philosophy of history within his photographic projects. The dialogue explores how Taghioff’s work reveals the common tendency for individuals to unwittingly cast themselves as characters in the historical drama without a conscious understanding of their roles. Key projects, such as the ‘Hands On/Hands Off’ (2014) and the ‘Asymmetrical Authority’ series (2018), are discussed, emphasising the artist’s reliance on personal historical understanding and historical memory. Taghioff highlights the dynamic nature of historical comprehension, stressing that continual emergence of new facts, documents and narratives prevents a definitive understanding of the past. The conversation also touches on Taghioff’s perspective as a contemporary artist in Iran, highlighting the need to examine history to grasp one’s contemporary position. The conversation concludes with insights into Taghioff’s artistic methodology, involving the analysis and use of archival materials, texts and images to reconstruct and critically examine various historical perspectives.

Socialization of School Youth of the Southern Urals in the 1950s - Early 1960s

The author considers the influence of the main social institutions of the state and society on the socialization of school youth in the post-war decades. The use of archival materials and sources of private origin allows highlighting the behavior and leisure activities of adolescents aged 14-18 years. Based on the materials of the RSFSR, there is analyzed the contradictory impact of social reality on the moral and ethical standards of Soviet schoolchildren’s behavior declared by the Soviet state. At the same time, the focus is on urban school youth of the Southern Urals - the Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Kurgan, Orenburg, Chelyabinsk regions during the Khrushchev Thaw. In addition to the high moral stability of the younger generation, which was required in the conditions of the ideological confrontation between the two systems, Soviet schoolchildren were seen as a powerful labor resource for restoring the economy and building the communist future. The author identifies numerous difficulties that hindered the formation of the “new man” of communist society. There are revealed the main activities of schools and out-of-school institutions for the education of Soviet youth. Special attention is paid to the study of social problems and offences among young people. The main reasons for the shift in moral and ethical standards of adolescents’ behavior are determined. It is concluded that in the conditions of contradictions of the state, society and school, a significant role in the socialization of youth was played by education in a team. The main institutions of the state and society formed in schoolchildren such moral qualities as honor, dignity, friendship, and mutual assistance.

The Factor of Trade in the Diplomatic Relations Between Nupe People and the Ilorin Emirate

Several scholars who wrote on migration have put forward many reasons why people move from one place to another. These include but not limited to political, social, cultural and religious factors. Scholars of Nupe history have recorded several push and pull factors that were responsible for the Nupe migration into places around the world. However, little or no attention has been placed on the factor of trade in the Nupe migration into Ilorin. This paper therefore, intends to examine the place of trade in the Nupe diplomatic relations with the people and authority of the Ilorin Emirate. These among other things relate to identification and appreciation of values of the relations between Nupe and the Ilorin Emirate. Since this study is on the relations of the two cosmopolitan communities, it will be useful in pointing sources of mechanism valuable to sustain effective policy of peaceful co-existence, crisis management and global peace. This study adopted historical research method, which involved the use of archival materials, oral evidences, and text content analysis. The study concluded that trade (with involvement in activities such as caravan trade, agriculture, currency production etc.) played prominent roles in the Nupe migration, integration and diplomatic relations into Ilorin Emirate.

The Factor of Trade in the Diplomatic Relations Between Nupe People and the Ilorin Emirate

Several scholars who wrote on migration have put forward many reasons why people move from one place to another. These include but not limited to political, social, cultural and religious factors. Scholars of Nupe history have recorded several push and pull factors that were responsible for the Nupe migration into places around the world. However, little or no attention has been placed on the factor of trade in the Nupe migration into Ilorin. This paper therefore, intends to examine the place of trade in the Nupe diplomatic relations with the people and authority of the Ilorin Emirate. These among other things relate to identification and appreciation of values of the relations between Nupe and the Ilorin Emirate. Since this study is on the relations of the two cosmopolitan communities, it will be useful in pointing sources of mechanism valuable to sustain effective policy of peaceful co-existence, crisis management and global peace. This study adopted historical research method, which involved the use of archival materials, oral evidences, and text content analysis. The study concluded that trade (with involvement in activities such as caravan trade, agriculture, currency production etc.) played prominent roles in the Nupe migration, integration and diplomatic relations into Ilorin Emirate.

Examples of Concert and Performance Activities of Western Violinists in China in the First Third of the XXth Century

The purpose of the research is in finding facts and conducting a panoramic review of the concert performances of the most famous Western violinists in China in the first third of the 20th century to observe the evolutionary dynamics of the influence of international contacts on the process of formation of professional Chinese violin art. Research methodology. The realisation of the purpose required the use of the following set of methods: retrospective search in the analysis of sources; source studies – in the analytical use of archival materials and their citation; chronological to recreate the panorama of concert events; musicology in the analysis of the concert performance of Western violinists; an axiological approach was also used to identify valuable perspectives of international musical cooperation. Scientific novelty lies in carrying out the first study of the most representative examples of concert activity of Western violinists in the first third of the 20th century, which laid a powerful foundation for the formation of national violin art and its integration into the stream of professional Chinese musical creativity as an organic component of national culture. Conclusions. The panorama of the most vivid concert performances of Western violinists in China in the first third of the 20th century has been found and reproduced in chronological order. The importance of their concert activity in the process of formation of professional Chinese violin art is proven.
 Keywords: concert activity, Western violinists, violin works, professionalisation of Chinese violin art.

Steilneset Memorial: 17th-century archives on witchcraft trials connecting past and present

ABSTRACT This article is a reflection upon the impact of the author’s use of archival material at Steilneset Memorial in Finnmark, Northern Norway, a Memorial commemorating the victims of the Finnmark witchcraft trials, 1600–1692. Its aim is twofold: First, to illustrate how the original court records were used to bring the history of the witchcraft trials into the public space today at Steilneset Memorial. This part will focus on the personal approach taken in surfacing the voices of those accused during the trials. Second, to discuss Steilneset Memorial and its content as a catalyst for historical interpretation and for bridging the gap between the painful history of the 17th century and the present day. Such a discussion will focus first on my own historical interpretation and then the responses of others to the Memorial, before reflecting on the extent to which the historical content of a memorial can display connections over centuries and communicate this to visitors of today.

A tale of two rivers: development, destruction, and despair in Ongata Rongai, Kenya.

Ongata Rongai is a rapidly growing peri-urban space in Nairobi Metropolitan, Kenya. The last 10 years have seen exponential population growth and building development leading to overcrowding and pressure on water and environmental resources. This original research sheds light on interactions among humans, animals, and this rapidly changing urban environment. It is therefore a quintessentially One Health study. Qualitative and ethnographically informed methods are employed to better understand the impact of rapid growth on the riparian environment and the effect of this on those who depend on it. The reflexive use of archival material and a historical ethnographic approach enabled in-depth narratives to address these issues within a longitudinal context, and the use of deliberate walking alongside visual methodologies and more traditional anthropological methods make this study novel both in terms of methodological approach and findings. This study finds that people cite high levels of pollution from solid waste and sewage have made the rivers almost unusable and a hazardous place for both humans and animals. Yet, in the past, these rivers played key roles in daily life. There is frustration with structural-level actors' moribund attitude to the environment. The poor health of the rivers and riparian environment leads to human and animal health challenges, increased pressure on water resources, and economic pressure due to a loss of livelihoods. The study contributes to what is currently a fairly small literature on urban riparian spaces globally, but one which is of growing and vital importance given the rapidly increasing percentage of humans who now reside in urban spaces. It contributes to WASH and urban clean water knowledge as well as One Health, public health, and urban growth narratives, and directly addresses challenges faced by SDG 6.

The right to protect democracy in the Czech Republic: arguments of constitutional jurisprudence

The article is devoted to the study of the lustration mechanism in the Czech Republic. For this purpose, the relevant legislation was analyzed, which established restrictions on access to positions for some categories of persons due to their behavior during the totalitarian regime.
 Special attention was paid to the analysis of the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, which resolved the issue of the constitutionality of lustration laws. It is emphasized that the Constitutional Court recognized the nature of lustration as the removal of citizens from the possibility of access to positions in state authorities, which is carried out directly on the basis of formal, categorical features, and not by individual condemnation of persons, according to the criteria established by law, based on the obligation to respect democratic principles Each state has the right to determine the conditions of access to participation in governance, and one of these conditions is loyalty to democracy. At the same time, no person is limited in access to a political function (deputies, senators). The lustration laws do not deal with establishing guilt and punishment. Instead, the implementation of lustration procedures is subject to judicial control.
 The purpose of lustration legislation in this state reflected a substantial public interest. Second, the experience of the Czech Republic emphasizes the difference between lustration as a phenomenon and mechanisms of legal responsibility. The practice of lustration is compatible with the values of a state based on the rule of law, if the means chosen by the legislator in its implementation are proportional to the defined goal.
 It was concluded that the application of lustration legislation in the Czech Republic had an undeniable impact on the direction, sequence and pace of systemic reforms. In addition, the lustration legislation solved another problem - the protection of the rights of the persons to whom it applies. These persons were protected from the unlawful use of archival materials related to them.

“We Are Claiming Space, We Are Visible!”: The Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand as a Space of Solidarity, 1980s–1990s

This article seeks to reintegrate the history of the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand (GLOW) into southern African queer historiography, which has inadvertently sidelined the role of the organisation, ignoring the plight of GLOW’s activists, as well as many others, mostly black gays and lesbians. Through the use of archival material and interviews with former GLOW members, this article examines GLOW’s role in connecting the gay liberation struggle to the anti-apartheid struggle. The article interrogates GLOW’s role in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, which helped align gay and lesbian rights with the broader idea of rights for all citizens at a time in South African history when being against rights for any group of people was deemed unacceptable. This article further examines the various schisms within GLOW that facilitated its eventual decline, but which also made the organisation multi-layered. These multiple aspects of GLOW were crucial in creating solidarity between gays and lesbians who were able to successfully fight for a Constitution that would protect the rights of non-heteronormative society.

Bleckblåsinstrument i svensk kavallerimusik under 1800-talets början – en omvälvande period

Brass instruments in Swedish cavalry music in the early nineteenth century – a period of transition
 This article makes use of archival material – early brass scores and financial accounts – in Swedish cavalry regimental archives, providing information about the use of natural horns and trumpets and keyed instruments (keyed bugles, ophicleïdes) and about the introduction of valve brass instruments – French horns, (Swedish) cornets, horns, trombones and bass tubas – in Sweden during the first half of the nineteenth century.
 Preserved Swedish cavalry scores from the early nineteenth century reflect Prussian traditions and show how recent compositions, especially pieces of opera music, were arranged by cavalry band masters and musicians, several of which were members of the Royal Orchestra and thus familiar with what was on the fore in the Swedish capital. Their instruments were of north German models, bought by band masters and musicians and copied, repaired and developed by Swedish brass workers and workshops. Keyed and natural instruments were used alongside the new valve instruments from around 1830 and well into the mid-nineteenth century.

Kwamteng Deity: A Culture-Historic Perspective in Demshin, Shendam Local Government Area Plateau State Nigeria

Background This paper examines and document the culture-historic and symbolic perspectives of Kwamteng in Demshin, Shendam Local Government Area Plateau State Nigeria. This paper has shown the communal values, norms and the symbolic perspectives of the infamous cult in Shendam. The research argues that in pre-colonial times, Kwamteng was a tool used in measuring moral and worthwhile characters in Demshin. It is shown here that the cult and the deity they worshipped ensured trust, loyalty and fulfilment of agreements between parties. Kwamteng also checked social vices including witchcraft, killing and stealing of peoples property or economic crops. This study shows the significant roles played by this cult within Demshin community, including assisting them out of tough challenges like conflicts (war), financial crises, infertility, sickness and low agricultural produce. The initiation process, initiation items and requirements, mode of worship, items of worship, taboos and other socio-cultural practices tied to this revered cult has been discussed in this work. Also, this work sheds light on its contributions to the socio-political landscape of Demshin. Methods The study also employed the use of archival materials or written documents, oral tradition through oral interviews and ethnography through participant observation, this research has revealed new information on Kwamteng from a culture-historical perspective. Findings Kwamteng has an organized religious system, Sustainable conflict management strategy, cultural heritage management, Kwamteng serves as the security and custodian of Goemai cultural history as well as judicial roles. Conclusion The research has shown that Kwamteng is an ancient tradition in the Goemai area and it played a very significant role in the upbringing of the male child through rigorous training as well as endurance of hardship from a very tender age to prepare the boy from the task that associates the man later in life.

A Lost Past? The Production of Affective Archives in Malayalam Cinema

This article studies Malayalam cinema’s engagement with its own history through the medium and the production of affective archives. endeavours to understand the use of archival materials in cinema and explores the affective potential of films in the creation of generative archives. Thus, the article studies select Malayalam films of the post-2000s that employed ‘cinema within cinema’ and argues that through the tropes of the lost heroine ( Thirakkatha and Nayika), lost time ( Vellaripravinte Changathi) and lost history ( Celluloid), these films explore the past through affective archiving. Further, it discusses the archival recuperation of P. K. Rosy, the first heroine of Malayalam cinema, and how the oppressed communities engage with archives in the present as a political and aesthetic act for an emancipatory future. In short, the article examines the possibilities of affective archiving within and outside cinema in interrogating dominant historical narratives.

REVIEW of the book “Western Caspian region as part of the Russian Empire (1722-1735): Collection of archival documents” 
 (Makhachkala: Mavraev, 2020)

The most important factor in the development of Caucasian studies is the expanding of the source base through the use of archival material, the development of methods of analysis and its processing. Today, the careful and detailed study of new archival documents helps to make corrections and sheds light on a number of questions about the history of the region that have been overlooked by researchers. In this connection, the materials collected from the archives of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts, the Russian State Military Historical Archive, and the Central State Archive of the Republic of Dagestan are of great interest when studying the political, social and economic situation in the region in the beginning of the 18th century. The collection under review is a major contribution to the development of historiography of imperial Russian policy in the Caucasus in 1722-1735 and makes it possible to widen the scope of research issues. With the help of new approaches and new sources, which are being researched for the first time, the materials of this collection allow a new reconstruction of the Russian imperial policy in the Caspian region. This book is a major contribution to the development of historiography of Russian imperial policy in the Caucasus between 1722 and 1735 and allows us to extend the scope of our research.

Educational Activities of the Croatian Memorial Documentation Centre of the Homeland War

Croatian Memorial Documentation Centre of the Homeland War is a specialized archives and a scientific institution with the mission to collect, arrange, safekeep, professionally and scientifically research and publish archival records from the Homeland War. Apart from these main tasks, the Centre also engages in educational activities by organizing and providing lectures for elementary school, high school, university students and history teachers or by the engagement of its employees at the universities. Speakers will present these activities by giving examples of various types of lectures and describing methodology and contents. The authors present the theory of archival pedagogy and its development in Croatia, as well as examples of good practice in the Croatian archives. In Croatia, in the last couple of years, special attention has been given to archival pedagogy as a potential for the development of archival activities and the modernization of the archives. The Croatian Archival Society has an important role in promoting archival pedagogy and it encourages archivists to participate in educational activities. The authors will present educational activities organized by the Croatian Memorial Documentation Centre of the Homeland War. The Centre aims to follow modern trends in archive pedagogy and education by combining its two main activities - archival practice and scientific research. Special emphasis is given to the use of various categories of the Centre’s archival materials, such as official records, printed material, audio recordings, photographic material, maps, etc. in the lectures. Besides paper records, the Centre has a large collection of digitalized documents which are particularly useful and convenient to use in the lectures. The materials from the Collection of photographs and the Collection of video materials are most frequently used. Dealing with the original archival material, especially when it comes to photographs or video materials, students get the most precise frame of the past on the basis of which they then best develop their own critical thinking. In this way, archival practice illustrates the educational role of archives. Authors also deal with the question how and to what extent does the use of archival materials affect the students' understanding of the topic and inspires them to visit archives and to do their own research which also contributes to the popularization of archives and archival science.

Archived Memories, Remembered Memories: The Use of Archival Material in Luz Obscura (2017) and Spell Reel (2017)

Archived Memories, Remembered Memories: The Use of Archival Material in Luz Obscura (2017) and Spell Reel (2017)

Colonial Suspects: Suspicion, Imperial Rule, and Colonial Society in Interwar French West Africa

Colonial Suspects: Suspicion, Imperial Rule, and Colonial Society in Interwar French West Africa

Sytuacja edukacyjna, społeczna i ekonomiczna Żydówek w powiecie wałeckim (Prusy Zachodnie) w okresie od XVIII do początków XX wieku

In this article, I analyze the functioning of women in Jewish communities in the Wałcz County (Kreis Deutsch Krone), which was part of West Prussia until the end of 1945. This area, located initially between West Prussia and Pomerania and later between several Prussian provinces, was particularly conducive to Jewish settlement. As a result, for example in Miroslawiec (Märkisch Friedland), located in the Wałcz district, at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Jewish population constituted as much as 55%. So far, few publications have been written about the Jewish communities functioning in that area. The text is of a historical nature; in the course of its preparation, I have made use of archival materials, the Jewish press of the time, and I have also referred to Prussian legal regulations. As a result, I have analysed the economic, legal and, in particular, educational situation of Jewish women living in the area, taking into account two types of factors that conditioned it – religious orders and Prussian legislation. I also discuss the changes and their causes, to which the functioning of women in these communities was subjected in the period from the 18th to the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the gradual assimilation of the Jewish population, progressing until World War II, which put an end to the presence of Jews in this area.