NAME- ANJALI
ROLL NO. – 2022/127
How have archives historically been used as instruments of power and control?
The term "archives" has derived from the Greek word " archeion". Etymologically, "archeion" has its
origin in the word "arch" which refers to the magisterial residence, then the Public office where
Government records are kept. Historical manuscripts, isolated letters of ancient rulers, copper plates,
stone inscriptions, besides a host of other artifacts, are popularly known as archives. Archives are a
greater or a lesser faction of records of an organization, institution or individual which are preserved
for their enduring value whether they are current or noncurrent.
In "Archives, Records, and Power: In Joan M. Schwartz and Terry Cook's 2002 monograph "The Making
of Modern Memory" they pay great attention to archives, records, and power positions that were in
use historically. They contend that archives are not factual warehouses of information for all but rather
a tool in the hands of those in power, to shape the reality of the subordinate, further legitimizing the
system favoring the powerful and suppressing the subordinate.
Relying on the theories of archival and historical interpretation, Schwartz and Cook investigate how
archives have been wielded to subdue the masses and control the flow of information. They highlight
several key mechanisms through which archives operate as instruments of power.
Control of Memory: Memory archives perform an indispensable function of forming collective
memory through the preservation and maintenance of people's past accounts. Individuals endowed
with the prerogative to define and preserve records can direct what stories place, and delete others.
Dominants’ grip on memory essentially allows them to sustain their power and the recognition of their
legitimacy at the expense of those who are in a disadvantaged position and disagree with the dominant
ones.
Selective Collecting and Appraisal: By that it draws the record selection to a certain direction, framing
the bias of those in power. By achieving this by preserving either the past or diminishing what does
not serve their purposes, the authorities can organize historical narratives in a way that suits their
intentions. Through this selective and mostly one-sided process, stories with experiences that
challenge [set] of the current order, tend to become reduced or completely absent.
Access and Authority: With the constantly high level of the public authorities' rights when access to
archival records is concerned, surely, it will be rarely a real history to engage with historical documents
on proscribed conditions. Both authorities and the society at large can be deprived of one’s right to
access, therefore the latter can suppress negative information, conceal misdeeds, and maintain the
domination of the state’s narrative on the past. Access illumination also fluctuates by strengthening
what are pre-existing power hierarchies by giving community groups louder voices than others.
Archival Silence and Absence: The fact that we have archives with such an organized structure instead
of certain records or voices is also quite meaningful. Meanwhile, archives perpetuate silencing
marginalized groups because they sometimes exclude their viewpoints and frequently lack in recording
their life experiences. Therefore, the faint archival thread shapes history in which the inequalities are
held, and the power dynamics that write the historical narratives are reinforced.
Last of all, Schwartz and Cook are convinced that the way archives reflect the state power or the society
power manifesting in their content is not random or arbitrary, but rather intentionally part of the
process. By studying the function of archives as power tools such as when they are used to manage
memory, invent narratives, or grant access, they reveal the intricate relationship among archives,
memory, records, and authority. This account points out that an analytical approach should be taken
in archival endeavors and one should realize how archiving influences our perception of the past.
