This project examines historical and contemporary patterns of human and non-human mobilizations that emerge when specific archival collections gain attention—earning archival value—from official institutions, professional archivists, critical scholars, and researchers. As archives are activated, transformed, and contested, they become sites of negotiation, where different actors—whether institutional or grassroots—infuse meaning into archival materials according to distinct objectives, disciplinary frameworks, and socio-political contexts. These dynamics raise critical questions about accessibility, control, and representation, as well as the ongoing debate between quantity and quality in archival practices.
While institutional archives often rely on formalized procedures of classification, preservation, and dissemination, alternative archival initiatives—particularly community-based ones—tend to emphasize participatory approaches and local engagement. The contrast between these models highlights tensions surrounding archival ownership, authority, and the politics of visibility. How do archives gain legitimacy in different settings? Who has the right to determine what should be preserved, and for whom? What are the implications of aspiring to exhaustive, open, and accessible archives?
Building on my experience with Shubra’s Archive—Egypt’s first neighborhood-based community archive—this project expands these debates by integrating vernacular archival practices shaped by the lived realities of local residents and researchers. It foregrounds the significance of situated, ethnographic engagements with archives, demonstrating how archival spaces are not just repositories of the past but also dynamic, evolving sites that interact with their present socio-political landscapes. By exploring the ethical, logistical, and social challenges of community-led archival work, the project highlights both the possibilities and the risks of alternative archival methodologies.
Through fieldwork, archival analysis, and collaborative engagement with archivists, scholars, and community members, the project seeks to illuminate the shifting terrains of archival value-making. In doing so, it contributes to broader conversations about the power structures embedded in archival practices and the role of archives in shaping memory, knowledge production, and historical narratives.