CAFE is a thematic network for the University of the Arctic which focuses upon how archival collections, ethnographic fieldwork, and the study of folklore enrich the representation of and communication across the circumpolar region and its people.
The network will place an emphasis on how the digitization of manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings, and material objects is improving access to collections and making it possible to share collections with host communities. We will specifically examine the best practices of digital sharing and the ethical questions that these technologies pose.
The network is centered around the existing folklore, photographic, and ethnographic collections held by its founding members and will seek to involve community organizations, indigenous research institutes, local artists and media producers, and new academic partners to create a forum for discussing the role of these archives in cultural revival as well as collaborating to create innovative ways for archival materials to reach wider audiences.
