LivArch

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has brought about fundamental changes in the way historical sources are handled. Three key developments are shaping current research practice: firstly, there is a growing number of community-driven archives in which citizens and local groups are establishing their own forms of documentation. Secondly, archival material is now frequently generated in real time – the distinction between the event and the historical record is increasingly blurring. Thirdly, research is shifting towards digital sources, not least because many physical archives have been destroyed by the war or are inaccessible. These dynamics raise fundamental epistemological, ethical and methodological questions and present new challenges to the self-understanding of historical research.

Project Overview

At the heart of this research project lies the question of how digital archiving practices can be scientifically documented, evaluated and further developed under the conditions of armed conflict. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of ethical standards, ensuring transparency and the traceability of materials’ provenance. The project examines the extent to which existing standards for describing digital sources meet these requirements and how they need to be further developed in order to fulfil their academic and societal responsibilities. The analysis is being carried out in close cooperation with international partner institutions and local Ukrainian initiatives.