Exploring the Archives

Qualitative researchers who want to work with archival repositories and special collections will find a guide to this terrain here. Written for readers new to such collections, it introduces the "archival turn," the rise since the 1990s in using archival documents and objects in contemporary research.

Newcomers to archival work will find an accessible overview of how special collections come into being and what they can offer. The book walks readers through the different kinds of archives, how to shape a research topic around what a collection holds, how to evaluate the materials on hand, and how to collaborate with archivists and curators. It also covers recording the research process and writing up an archival study.

The collections discussed include manuscripts, documents, audio and video recordings, and visual and material culture. Together these holdings are presented as a rich resource for qualitative social scientists. The text suits courses such as introductory qualitative research methods, research methods in higher education, archival collections, family studies, community research, and introduction to special collections research.