Secrets: Archives and Power workshop

Secrets are clearly a tool of the powerful. But like many tools of the powerful, they can also be used as a weapon of the weak; activists hiding things from police, workers from their bosses, children from their parents.

On first glance it would seem that a public archive is the opposite of the secret – this is where materials go to be seen and accessed by anyone. But in reality, the operations of secretness in the archive are much more complex and nuanced. In this public hands-on workshop and discussion we will explore different types and degrees of secrecy in collections; a donor’s potential desire for secrecy, the legalities of secrecy, and the often-unintentional secrecy created by the real-world practicalities of keeping a collection. 

Through doing this we will try to better understand how secrecy in archives relates to, and is affected by, existing power dynamics, the practical barriers to access that can create the aura of secrecy, and the nuances of handling secrets as an archivist.  

We will be working with material from the archive of semi-covert artist group ‘The Invigilator Research Network’, as well as a selection of secret and not-so-secret materials from UCL Special Collections (including UCL records). We will also be joined by Dr Lucy Brownson, Lecturer in Archives and Records Management from UCL's Department of Information Studies. 

This event will be held in UCL East's Marshgate building (seminar room 304). UCL East is our new campus in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and continues UCL's spirit of discovering, co-creating and sharing new knowledge for the benefit of all.

Please note that booking is required for this event due to the limited number of spaces available.