Research Symposium- May 29-30

Access to trustworthy and reliable information is essential in a civil society. In a world with many different and powerful stakeholders shaping the information landscape, the ease with which anyone can produce, use, and circulate data leads to the unresolved question of how authoritative information could possibly be distinguished from information sludge. This question is becoming increasingly pressing for institutions that operate in the public interest. Datafication of society and the use of ever-changing digital applications create complex and dynamic technological environments. As a consequence, institutions have great difficulty in processing and managing data and information in a way that allows them to comply with  the rule of law. Traditional information and records management concepts and practices have been largely overtaken by the rapid technological and societal changes.

Recordkeeping informatics is a framework developed by researchers at Monash University, Australia  that takes these complexities and associated power dynamics as its starting point. Recordkeeping informatics aims to provide organisations with guidance in processing and managing data and information effectively and efficiently in order to be able to perform domain-specific tasks, but also to ensure accountability and evidence for the short and the long term. In this symposium, we pay specific attention to the question of what it takes to transform information management into an inclusive and sustainable practice, that is, a set of values and attitudes which is shared by organisational agents and citizens, and can be upheld over time. Recordkeeping informatics offers a new paradigm that can be used to answer such a question.

The overarching objective of this working symposium is to initiate and motivate cross-disciplinary participation in recordkeeping informatics research and practice. In-person participants will have the opportunity to discuss and investigate the usability and applicability of this framework for recordkeeping practices and to formulate a research agenda relevant to scholars and practitioners.

This working symposium is of interest to anyone working in information management-related fields, including records managers, information officers, archivists, ICT experts, data and computer scientists, as well as students, educators, and researchers who are intrigued by the continuously evolving, networked nature of organisations, information processes, and information objects.

Although online attendance (with limited access to the program) is possible, in-person participation is strongly encouraged.  Four invited experts will contribute their specialist and unique insight into the discussion: Barbara Reed,  Laura Millar, Martin Berendse and Periklis Andritsos. See more information about the speakers.

Organisers:  Professor Charles Jeurgens, University of Amsterdam; Professor Gillian Oliver, Monash University; Associate Professor Fiorella Foscarini, University of Toronto; Associate Professor Ragna Kemp Haraldsdottir, University of Iceland

Supported by  I-Partnerschap of the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations