Why the iSchool?

“The challenge to Orientalism, and the colonial era of which it is so organically a part, was a challenge to the muteness imposed upon the Orient as object. Insofar as it was a science of incorporation and inclusion by virtue of which the Orient was constituted and then introduced into Europe, Orientalism was a scientific movement whose analogue in the world of politics was the Orient’s colonial accumulation and acquisition by Europe. The Orient was, therefore, not Europe’s interlocutor, but its silent Other.” (Said 1985, 4-5)

The iSchool is an ideal place for me to conduct my research, given that it concerns the intersections of print culture, memory and identity production. Also, the Book History & Print Culture (BHPC) collaborative program is housed at the iSchool. I am interested in bringing a BHPC lens to my research because, among other things, it is inter-disciplinary. As mentioned in my first blog posting, my research requires an interdisciplinary approach. I have also had a number of fruitful, encouraging conversations with iSchool faculty members. Based on these conversations, it is clear that the iSchool welcomes collaborative and interdisciplinary research. It is open to having professors from other departments, such as the Near & Middle Eastern Civilization (NMC) department, be involved in student research. Hence, I would be able to also work with the NMC Faculty while at the iSchool, which would be very helpful.

As a masters student at the iSchool, I have gained a strong understanding of the theory, methods and practice of information studies, as applicable to archives; libraries; the internet; publishing houses; printing presses; and any other infrastructure designed to produce, preserve, disseminate and make information available. Specific courses such as INF1002H -Representation, Organization, Classification & Meaning-Making, INF1001H - Knowledge & Information in Society, and INF1330 - Archives Concepts & Issues have given me a strong foundation in the ways that information and associated processes shape and are shaped by society. In these and other courses, I have explored the myriad social, political, legal and economic roles of information and knowledge in public life; and its impact on the private sphere. Further, I have taken a relevant seminar, INF1005 - ArchBook Information Workshop with Dr. Alan Galey, who is part of BHPC. In this course, I was introduced to some theory and methods in BHPC, where both the material and non-material aspects of books, broadly defined, are scrutinized.

My experience has demonstrated to me that the iSchool, with its BHPC program, is an excellent place to pursue such topics further, in the form of my proposed research project.

Reference

Said, Edward. (1979). Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, Random House.