Tracing the archival turn: genealogies, dimensions and implications

Abstract

Introduction. The archival turn, emerging in the 1990s, signifies a shift in how scholars conceptualise and engage with archives across disciplines. This study examines the theoretical origins, ontological, epistemological and methodological dimensions of the archival turn and its implications for archival theory and practice.

Method. This research employs a theoretical and conceptual analysis, synthesising literature from history, philosophy, cultural studies and archival science. It traces key intellectual influences, including Ranke’s historiographical methods, Foucault’s discourse theory and Derrida’s concept of archive fever, to contextualise the archival turn’s evolution.

Analysis. The archival turn is analysed through its ontological, epistemological and methodological dimensions. These dimensions highlight how the turn redefines the concept of archives, challenges traditional assumptions and encourages more critical approaches to archival materials.

Results. The archival turn has led to ontological shifts, expanding the definition of archives beyond institutional repositories. Epistemologically, it has reframed archives as sites of knowledge production and power rather than neutral collections. Methodologically, it has encouraged critical archival engagement, rethinking provenance and addressing archival silences. However, scholars debate whether the archival turn has substantively transformed historiographical methodologies or if it remains primarily a theoretical abstraction disconnected from archival practice.

Conclusions. The archival turn has enriched interdisciplinary scholarship and challenged traditional notions of archives. However, tensions persist between theoretical conceptualisations in the humanities and the practical concerns of archival studies. While it has reshaped scholarly perspectives on archives, its impact on archival methodologies and professional practice remains a subject of ongoing debate.