>From: "Wakely, Siobhan" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: "Wakely, Siobhan" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Unleashing the archive
>Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 12:18:20 +0100
>
>Dear all,
>
>How do we make sure that political events are recorded factually for future
>generations?  Who ensures that individuals do not remake history to portray
>themselves in a good light?  On 12 November, a conference organised by The
>School of Advanced Study and The National Archives will address these
>issues.  The press release below gives the details.
>
>If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Siobhan Wakely
>The National Archives
>020 83925277
>
>Unleashing the Archive
>
>12 November 2004
>
>How do we make sure that political events are recorded factually for future
>generations?  Who ensures that individuals do not remake history to portray
>themselves in a good light?  On 12 November journalist Richard 
>Norton-Taylor
>will be discussing the importance of records in the Bloody Sunday Inquiry
>and Orange Prize-winning novelist Andrea Levy will talk about her personal
>experiences of archives.  Unleashing the Archive, a FREE conference
>organised by the School of Advanced Study of the University of London and
>The National Archives in Kew, aims to promote the historical importance of
>archives.
>
>Andrea Levy, commenting on her experiences with archives said:
>
>'I can still remember the look of fear on the archivists' faces when I
>breezed in and said "Just point me to your boxes - I'll have a good rummage
>through."
>
>'Archives - comprising personal texts detailing everyday activities and
>emotions, as well as the formal records of government, businesses and other
>organisations - play a part in all our lives'
>
>'For thousands of years they have contributed to maintaining continuity in
>human affairs. Yet archives are not simply repositories of collective
>memory. Without archives there would be no propaganda.  At the same time
>they support the search for justice and truth.'
>
>says Nicholas Mann, Dean of the School of Advanced Study and Pro
>Vice-Chancellor of the University of London.
>
>Sarah Tyacke, Chief Executive of The National Archives said:
>
>'In many parts of the world there is now a more widespread engagement with
>archives than ever before, as people seek to construct stories and
>explanations about themselves and the world in which they live.  Archives
>offer limitless opportunities for exploration and discovery and are 
>striking
>the imagination in new ways.'
>
>The conference addresses these issues in four sessions:
>
>         *       Archives as evidence - using the Bloody Sunday Inquiry as 
>an
>example
>         *       Archive and Epic - addressing the way in which many of the
>great works that shape national identity are created using archives
>         *       Archives as personal exploration - contrasting biographers
>and novelists' use of archives to explore the experiences of individuals
>         *       Archives as constructions and manipulations - contrasting
>they way archives were created and interpreted in the ancient world to the
>present day
>
>Artwork, by two artists* who have a close involvement with archives, will
>also be revealed at the conference.
>
>Unleashing the Archive is one of a series of events being held in 2004-5 to
>celebrate the tenth anniversary of the University of London's School of
>Advanced Study.
>
>The conference will be held at Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1.  It
>is FREE, but reservations must be made in advance.  To book please contact
>Olwen Myhill on [log in to unmask] or 020 7862 8790
>
>Notes for editors:
>
>         *       The School of Advanced Study brings together the 
>scholarship
>and resources of eight prestigious postgraduate research institutes of the
>University of London in the humanities and social sciences. Its subject
>areas include history; law; classics and the classical tradition; English,
>Germanic and Romance studies; and studies of the Commonwealth and the
>Americas.  For more information please go to <http://www.sas.ac.uk/>
>
>         *       The National Archives (TNA) in Kew, west London, was 
>formed
>in 2003 by bringing together the Public Record Office and the Historical
>Manuscripts Commission. TNA is an associate member of the School, and is
>strengthening its links with the academic research community. But it seeks
>also to stimulate wider awareness of, and support for, archives as a
>nationwide resource on which people in many different walks of life can 
>draw
>for information, learning and inspiration.  For more information please
>contact Siobhan Wakely in The National Archives' press office
>[log in to unmask]
><mailto:[log in to unmask]> or 020 8392 5277
>
>         *       During the conference there will be a display of video 
>works
>by the artists Ruth Maclennan and Uriel Orlow.  Ruth Maclennan was artist 
>in
>residence in the archives of the Library at the London School of Economics
>in 2001-2002.  Uriel Orlow was artist in residence at the Wiener Library in
>London in 2000-1. They each made videos of interviews with the archivists,
>and in very different ways, they address questions of memory retrieval,
>structures of organisation, and institutional control.Tenth Anniversary
>Conference 12 November 2004
>School of Advanced Study, University of London and The National Archives
>
>'Unleashing the Archive'
>
>PROGRAMME
>
>The conference aims to open up new thinking about the cultural and historic
>significance of archives and their use.
>
>
>Friday 12 November 2004
>Introduction
>9.30 - 9.50 a.m.
>Speakers:
>Nicholas Mann, Dean of the School of Advanced Study and Pro Vice-Chancellor
>of the University of London
>The Master of the Rolls, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers
>Ruth Maclennan and Uriel Orlow 'Artists and the Archive'
>
>Session 1. Archive and Epic
>9.50 -11.05 a.m.
>Archives and archiving in forging epics of group experience and identity
>chair: Nicholas Mann (School of Advanced Study)
>Alan Thacker (Institute of Historical Research), 'Bede and the creation of
>an English epic'
>Louise Craven (The National Archives), 'Epic, group identity and the 
>archive
>in the modern world'
>Commentary: David Bates (Director, Institute of Historical Research)
>Discussion.
>
>11.05-11.30 Coffee
>
>Session 2. The Bloody Sunday Inquiry: Archives as Evidence
>11.30 -12.45
>Different approaches to the task of establishing 'truth'
>chair: Sarah Tyacke (The National Archives)
>Paul Bew (Queen's University Belfast), 'The historian's view'
>Richard Norton Taylor, 'The journalist's view'
>Cathryn McGahey, 'The lawyer's view'
>Commentary: Pat Thane (Institute of Historical Research)
>Dicussion
>
>12.45-2.00 p.m. lunch
>
>Session 3. Archives as personal exploration:
>2.00 - 3.15 p.m.
>Contrasting approaches to the use of archives in writing about both 'the
>everyday' and the 'heroic individual'
>chair: Warwick Gould (Institute of English Studies)
>Biographer: Katrina Dean (Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol),
>'Biographical actors: on reading the scientific archive'
>Novelist Andrea Levy (winner of the Orange Prize), 'Archives, fiction and
>autobiography'
>Commentary: Peter Mandler (University of Cambridge)
>Discussion
>
>3.15-3.30 p.m.  Tea
>
>Session 4 Archives as constructions and manipulations.
>3.30 - 4.45 p.m.
>The session will explore the political and cultural functions of archives 
>in
>the ancient world as compared with their counterparts now
>chair: Derek Keene (Institute of Historical Research)
>Charlotte Roueché (King's College London), 'The ancient world: inscribing
>archives on stone'
>Richard Cox (University of Pittsburgh), 'Archiving archives in the modern
>world: rethinking and revitalizing a Concept'
>Commentary: Michael Moss (University of Glasgow)
>Discussion
>
>This will lead into a General Debate, with all speakers forming a panel
>chaired by Derek Keene (approximately 4.45 - 5.15 pm)
>
>5.15 p.m (approx.)
>Sarah Tyacke, 'Final remarks'
>
>5.30 pm (approx.). Reception.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>**********************************************************************
>
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>
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