Making connections
Earlier this month, a group of us from ‘What Would William Shipley Do?’ took a trip down to the RSA House in London.
You can read more about our day in this blog post. These are some of my thoughts from the visit.
One of the questions that Evelyn, the RSA Head Archivist, asked us was how our research would be archived. Recording and openly documenting (through this blog, social media interactions, through the publication of findings) is a part of this research: we are aiming to archive a process.
Where information is published online and stored away in metaphorical caches, it breaks from the power dynamics of a traditional archiving system, where some have access and some, by necessity, are excluded (both as viewers and as contributors). Materials of all kinds — from open treaties to fan zines to pet photos — are stored online, without prejudice. At the same time, there is a huge diversity of skill and understanding among Internet users. The knowledge gap between those who can effectively promote and access information is not just a generational one.
Access to information and interactions through the Internet might have led to ‘digital citizenship’, but these connections are often based in a deep-rooted local identity. Successful online campaigns are often inspired by a local example of discrimination, exploitation or lack of services, that has broader relevancy and garners wider sympathy.
An interesting part of the discussion with Matthew Taylor was listening to Matthew, Yalda, Jaini and Robyn talking about the potential for educational institutions to foster or subdue creativity in young people. It seems that where education is a means of attaining a result, rather than a way of facilitating further exploration, the place of education can become disconnected from experiences that occur outside of those spaces — leading to university ‘bubbles’ and the notion of an external ‘real world’.
Students have the potential to cross campus, city and global communities through skilful access to and the sharing of online information, but not if we see ourselves and are seen by others as existing in a bubble.
As part of the consultation sessions next month I will be discussing with other students the role that the FRSA might play in bridging this gap.
