Project by Safi El-Gamal
This drawing represents the microcosm/inherent components (blue) and macrocosm/political consequences (red) of a manuscript, and visually asserts the various levels of intelligibility within the processes of making to preserving historic work. This research is based upon my personal engagement with Smith’s manuscripts at the Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library, as well as ethnographic methods of discussing the archive with librarians and archivists.
Columbia professor Manan Ahmad discusses this inherent power of the archive in his work “Technologies of Power,” of how area studies has transitioned into an avenue towards data science with political motives of surveillance. This not only pushes us to question the political injustice already inherent within our own libraries, but further how our false notions of our present decolonial classrooms may create future harm.
