The archivist, the researcher and the activist: Challenges and experiences from international research projects Hybrid Seminar #3 WP 2

The aim of this 3rd seminar is to address current research issues related to protest archives. The seminar will therefore bring together several international collaborative research projects related to the themes of the ACTIVATE consortium, thus broadening the discussion beyond the consortium alone. The meeting will therefore enable the findings of these projects, whether completed or ongoing, to be shared while the methodological approaches adopted are examined.
The goal is to foster dialogue between projects focusing on different periods of the contemporary era and covering various geographical areas, both within and outside Europe. The ambition is to collectively reflect on the most effective ways to:
• collaborate between researchers from various disciplines (history, sociology, political science, law, information and communication studies, archival science, heritage studies, etc.).
• better collaboration between researchers, archivists, and activists
• examine the blind spots in current research

Specific research questions in the context of working with activist movements include:
• Question of neutrality/objectivity: is sympathy for the movements a prerequisite?
• International connections: can they only be studied in an international context?
• What is the activist’s archive, and how should it be made available for research?
The seminar will provide a forum for open academic exchange to encourage future collaborations in research and education. Another objective is to consider how archival training programmes can benefit from this research.