https://www.googleforeducommunity.com/t5/Arts-Humanities-GFG/Breaking-the-quot-Imperial-Boomerang-quot-Digitization-as/m-p/211896#M1 <P><SPAN>The</SPAN><A href="https://globalise.huygens.knaw.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <SPAN>GLOBALISE Conference</SPAN></A><SPAN> (took place in Amsterdam, March 3–6, 2026) showcased how to un-build colonial archives. By using machine-readable transcriptions on the <A href="https://www.huygens.knaw.nl/en/5-million-scans-voc-archives-online-and-searchable/" target="_self">Dutch East India Company (VOC) archives</A>, researchers are shifting the focus away from European governors and toward the vernacular voices of local communities in Asia and Africa.</SPAN></P><UL><LI><STRONG>The Question:</STRONG><SPAN> Does digitizing a colonial archive "democratize" it, or does it simply move the power imbalance to whoever controls the server?</SPAN></LI><LI><STRONG>Context:</STRONG><SPAN> Consider the <A href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03058298251365975" target="_self">Imperial Boomerang</A></SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;- the idea that methods of colonial control eventually return to haunt the metropole.</SPAN></LI><LI><STRONG>Discussion Point:</STRONG><SPAN> How can we ensure that "AI-enhanced" history doesn't just automate old colonial biases?</SPAN></LI></UL> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:33:56 GMT dlaufenberg 2026-03-11T20:33:56Z https://www.googleforeducommunity.com/t5/Arts-Humanities-GFG/Breaking-the-quot-Imperial-Boomerang-quot-Digitization-as/m-p/211896#M1 <P><SPAN>The</SPAN><A href="https://globalise.huygens.knaw.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <SPAN>GLOBALISE Conference</SPAN></A><SPAN> (took place in Amsterdam, March 3–6, 2026) showcased how to un-build colonial archives. By using machine-readable transcriptions on the <A href="https://www.huygens.knaw.nl/en/5-million-scans-voc-archives-online-and-searchable/" target="_self">Dutch East India Company (VOC) archives</A>, researchers are shifting the focus away from European governors and toward the vernacular voices of local communities in Asia and Africa.</SPAN></P><UL><LI><STRONG>The Question:</STRONG><SPAN> Does digitizing a colonial archive "democratize" it, or does it simply move the power imbalance to whoever controls the server?</SPAN></LI><LI><STRONG>Context:</STRONG><SPAN> Consider the <A href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03058298251365975" target="_self">Imperial Boomerang</A></SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;- the idea that methods of colonial control eventually return to haunt the metropole.</SPAN></LI><LI><STRONG>Discussion Point:</STRONG><SPAN> How can we ensure that "AI-enhanced" history doesn't just automate old colonial biases?</SPAN></LI></UL> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:33:56 GMT https://www.googleforeducommunity.com/t5/Arts-Humanities-GFG/Breaking-the-quot-Imperial-Boomerang-quot-Digitization-as/m-p/211896#M1 dlaufenberg 2026-03-11T20:33:56Z