ASA-ITIC Conference

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Diverse Worlds: 2017 National Conference

The program will explore questions on the diversity of our collections, our profession and our audiences, as well as exploring the impact and potential of information technologies in indigenous communities and on traditional knowledge.

Who are collections for? Who do they represent? Who should hold them, manage access and use, and communicate content? We know that collections in the GLAMR (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Records) sectors contain representations of many different identities - cultural, ethnic, religious, political and sexual amongst many others - at points in time and over time. How should these myriad worlds be reflected to the wider community? What systemic changes are required to ensure new professionals entering the sector are a more diverse, broadly representative group than those who have come before?

The Melbourne conference seeks to examine the commonalities and differences between sectors, collections and communities, as well as the many different worlds represented within them. The concept of Diverse Worlds - inclusive of the non-binary, different and divergent - also challenges notions of cohesion and a singular professional identity. It recognises that our community is not fully representative, and the collections for which we are responsible are not discoverable, accessible or understandable to many. We need to ask how we can go beyond mere consultation and engagement, and question whether supporting true diversity involves relinquishing authority, custodianship and control.

Information Technologies Indigenous Communities 2017

Information Technologies Indigenous Communities (ITIC) will be a two-day Symposium on Wednesday and Thursday, 27-28 September 2017, at the University of Melbourne held with the support of and in conjunction with ASA National Conference. It will incorporate, as one of its streams, the 16th Symposium on Indigenous Music and Dance of the National Recording Project for Indigenous Performance in Australia.

The ITIC Symposium will be held in memory of the late Dr JN Gumbula from northeast Arnhem Land, who was a major contributor to establishing the National Recording Project and to enhancing knowledge of Indigenous archives and collections in Australia and internationally. Dr Gumbula was a researcher, Yolngu leader and ARC Indigenous Fellowship recipient who passed away in 2015. He worked extensively with Australian archives, museums and universities including the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney Archives, the Macleay Museum, Museum Victoria, and the Australian National University amongst many others.

The 2017 ITIC Symposium seeks to explore how recent advancements in information technologies enhance linkages among archives, images, collections and Indigenous knowledges in new ways. Presentations exploring Indigenous engagements with information technologies in education, health, heritage, languages, mapping, creative arts, broadcasting and beyond are welcome. There will be a stream dedicated to examining the application of information technologies in the maintenance and understanding of Indigenous music and dance repertoires. Another stream will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of the late Dr JN Gumbula to expanding knowledge and Indigenous research agency through his work with the National Recording Project and a broad array of Indigenous archives and collections.