Citizen digital archive (digital community heritage) as a cultural practice to build uniqueness of the area

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24530663
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Tokyo City University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA Masako 東京都市大学, メディア情報学部, 教授 (00217895)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: デジタルアーカイブ / 市民 / 写真 / システム構築 / 集合知

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The researcher conducted approximately twenty semi-structured interviews and a number of participatory observations with “citizen digital archive groups” (citizen DA). These are groups that collect old photos and films of local residents and use them to build their community heritage. Citizen DA members find their archives to be of uniquely value. They take advantage of their networking with various actors to obtain certain benefits, such as public funds, support from local government, other citizen activities, and local residents. Various artifacts are used to stabilize their activities and networks, including exhibitions, printing books and maps, retrospective workshops designed for aged people, and photography-themed excursions in the city.
Secondly, an information system was designed and experimentally introduced in the locality of the researcher’s university. This project stimulated the creation of related activities in the area and interactions with the system were observed.

Free Research Field

情報テクノロジーとコミュニティ