Elusive Archives
Material Culture in Formation
By Alexander Lawrence Ames, Alexandra Ward, Bernard L. Herman, Catherine Morrissey, Cindy Ott, Halina Adams, J. Ritchie Garrison, Jennifer Van Horn, Jesse Kraft, Jessica Conrad, Julian Yates, Julie L. McGee, Kaila T. Schedeen, Kiersten Thamm, Laura E. H | Publisher: University of Delaware Press
About the book
The essays that comprise Elusive Archives raise a common question: how do we study material culture when the objects of study are transient, evanescent, dispersed or subjective? Such things resist the taxonomic protocols that institutions, such as museums and archives, rely on to channel their acquisitions into meaningful collections. What holds these disparate things together here are the questions authors ask of them. Each essay creates by means of its method a provisional collection of things, an elusive archive. Scattered matter then becomes fixed within each author’s analytical framework rather than within the walls of an archive’s reading room or in cases along a museum corridor.
This book follows the ways in which objects may be identified, gathered, arranged, conceptualized and even displayed rather than by “discovering” artifacts in an archive and then asking how they came to be there. The authors approach material culture outside the traditional bounds of learning about the past. Their essays are varied not only in subject matter but also in narrative format and conceptual reach, making the volume accessible and easy to navigate for a quick reference or, if read straight through, build toward a new way to think about material culture.
Editions of Elusive Archives
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781644532249
- EBook
- ISBN 9781644532041
Read an Excerpt
The essays that comprise Elusive Archives raise a common question: how do we study material culture when the objects of study are transient, evanescent, dispersed or subjective? Such things resist the taxonomic protocols that institutions, such as museums and archives, rely on to channel their acquisitions into meaningful collections. What holds these disparate things together here are the questions authors ask of them. Each essay creates by means of its method a provisional collection of things, an elusive archive. Scattered matter then becomes fixed within each author’s analytical framework rather than within the walls of an archive’s reading room or in cases along a museum corridor.
This book follows the ways in which objects may be identified, gathered, arranged, conceptualized and even displayed rather than by “discovering” artifacts in an archive and then asking how they came to be there. The authors approach material culture outside the traditional bounds of learning about the past. Their essays are varied not only in subject matter but also in narrative format and conceptual reach, making the volume accessible and easy to navigate for a quick reference or, if read straight through, build toward a new way to think about material culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Elusive Archives about?
The essays that comprise Elusive Archives raise a common question: how do we study material culture when the objects of study are transient, evanescent, dispersed or subjective? Such things resist the taxonomic protocols that institutions, such as museums and archives, rely on to channel their acquisitions into meaningful collections. What holds these disparate things together here are the questions authors ask of them. Each essay creates by means of its method a provisional collection of things, an elusive archive. Scattered matter then becomes fixed within each author’s analytical framework rather than within the walls of an archive’s reading room or in cases along a museum corridor.
This book follows the ways in which objects may be identified, gathered, arranged, conceptualized and even displayed rather than by “discovering” artifacts in an archive and then asking how they came to be there. The authors approach material culture outside the traditional bounds of learning about the past. Their essays are varied not only in subject matter but also in narrative format and conceptual reach, making the volume accessible and easy to navigate for a quick reference or, if read straight through, build toward a new way to think about material culture.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Elusive Archives?
Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary subjects > Library and information sciences / Museology > Library, archive and information management
Where can I read a sample of Elusive Archives?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781644532249
Is Elusive Archives part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Material Culture Perspectives
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Elusive Archives?
Alexander Lawrence Ames, Alexandra Ward, Bernard L. Herman, Catherine Morrissey, Cindy Ott, Halina Adams, J. Ritchie Garrison, Jennifer Van Horn, Jesse Kraft, Jessica Conrad, Julian Yates, Julie L. McGee, Kaila T. Schedeen, Kiersten Thamm, Laura E. H
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Elusive Archives is available as paperback(ISBN 9781644532249) and ebook(ISBN 9781644532041)
Where can I buy Elusive Archives online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Elusive Archives from below
Where can I buy Elusive Archives?