The practical and ethical considerations of digitising Haitian literary archives

Findlay, Fiona (2023) The practical and ethical considerations of digitising Haitian literary archives. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Archives in Haiti are in danger from a multitude of threats including natural and manmade disasters, environmental crises, and political unrest. This thesis proposes the creation of an online digital archive for Haitian literary artefacts in an attempt to both preserve these documents and improve their accessibility; it is hoped that in doing so, it will encourage the study of Haitian literature and help to address Haiti’s malignment in the Western sphere. The practical and ethical considerations of such a project are discussed, with issues examined through the lenses of postcolonialism and software engineering in order to make practical recommendations for the archive’s development. Requirements specific to Haiti are discussed in the context of the software development process, with techniques suggested to overcome potential obstacles including accessibility and remote testing. The digitisation process is also examined as well as its application to archival literary materials. We will also consider the limitations of digital representations of physical objects, the role that location plays in an artefact’s significance, and the importance of the oral as well as the written in Haitian cultural representation.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Subjects: C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CD Diplomatics. Archives. Seals > CD921 Archives; P Language and Literature > PQ Romance literatures; Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4050 Electronic information resources
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Modern Languages and Cultures > French
• Supervisor's Name: Douglas, Dr. Rachel and Grove, Professor Laurence
• Date of Award: 2023
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2023-83406
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 07 Feb 2023 11:41
• Last Modified: 17 Feb 2023 09:08
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.83406
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/83406