Cultural Heritage, Digital Sources and Social Function

Dear friends,

After my participation in Workshop on Digital Culture Heritage and Living Labs, I want to explain to you how we can use the social function of cultural heritage by digital sources. A web Archive of Oral Memory is an example.

Historical memory and applied research: Initial reflection

Firstly we agree that all research, in one way or another, is applied, and if carried out with at least minimum scientific quality, will have cultural, academic and political interest. But not only that, doing applied research means meeting the difficult equilibrium between scientific excellence and its social and cultural dimension. This means we can translate theoretical results into actions to develop and improve social conditions in the community itself (or this area of study).

 The Philosofy of web archives of oral memory

Archives are usually physical places with a complex functionality that not everyone can use. This situation is not suited to our philosophy. We think that all information should to be open and accessible to everybody.With this in mind, a virtual archive in a web environment, without physical space and open to everyone would be the most efficient way for people in general, scholars, students, teachers, historians… to access information.

Objectives

Web Archives of Oral Memory have a great objective based on the Social Function of Cultural Heritage. What does this mean? Every action on Cultural Heritage must reflect positively on the community that promotes this heritage. How? They must contribute with advantages in cultural, social, educational and economic levels to society.

Conclusion

Web Archives of Oral Memory is a virtual and digital tool for interpreting the history of a territory through direct sources based on the testimonies of people over the territory. In this way, sources close to the persons concerned, and in the case of schoolchildren and students,can also work through the voice of their grandparents concepts such as: Social cohesion, Identity, Knowledge of enviroment…. Therefore, the sense of belonging to a place, with a history, cultur and evolution.

I hope to be of your interest…

Urbanismo y Patrimonio Cultural