Stirrings in the archives : order from disorder

Like most of Wolfgang Ernst’s work, Das Rumoren der Archiv explored the concept of archival and media theory from a current cultural digital context.

Ernst challenges the traditional perspective of the cultural heritage institution and how it relied on media for creating, storing and disseminating digital information.

Archives have a place in a digital society, and the archivist’s role will be more increasingly vital in the future.

As Ernst points out, his work will show a way out of the archive, away from the notion that the era of archive is coming to an end.

Here is the long-awaited English translation of this seminal work exploring cultural heritage before the archives, throughout history, and from today into the future. Ernst work emphasized a need to recognize media as a method for capturing and preserving our collective cultural identity.

It is vital that archivists promoted a greater awareness of how media technology augmented the creation, management, and dissemination of digital content.