The Canisius College Archives & Special Collections is pleased to announce the Spring Archives Speaker Series: “The Past That Has Yet to Pass: Archives and The Belfast Project,” Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 2:30 pm.
Christine Anne George, JD, MSIS, will present on The Belfast Project, an oral history project conducted at Boston College that captures the dark period of Northern Irish history known as “The Troubles.” George will discuss this controversial project, in the news since May 2011, when U.S. attorneys subpoenaed Boston College for oral history interview tapes and began an ensuing legal battle that reaches to the Supreme Court.
The Belfast Project was back in the spotlight this past month, on both sides of the Atlantic, with the death of Delours Price, whose oral history interview sparked debate on possession of the interviews, ramifications for the Northern Irish Peace Process, the future of archival privilege and other standards of archival practice.
Christine George received her BA from Bard College, her JD from St. John’s University School of Law, and her MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin School of Information. She currently works at the Charles B. Sears Law Library at SUNY Buffalo Law School where she serves as a faculty services and reference librarian and oversees the law library’s archives. She began researching legal and ethical issues surrounding The Belfast Project for her thesis, “Whatever You Say, You Say Nothing: Archives and The Belfast Project.” George has presented on the topic at archives symposia and conferences. An article on The Belfast Project is forthcoming summer 2013 in The American Archivist.
Daily updates on the case can be found at: http://bostoncollegesubpoena.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/university-files-to-close-belfast-project-case/
The Society of American Archivists has been closely following The Belfast Case, and developing informational pieces and tools for archivists to help them consider the impact on their work and profession.
The Canisius College Archives Speaker Series showcases scholars with a special understanding of archival research, based on their own experiences; and, who have completed an expression of scholarship reliant on archival research.
Please join us for the presentation followed by a Q&A and light refreshments, students are encouraged to attend. Seating is limited. For more information, contact Kathleen DeLaney, archivist, at delaneyk@canisius.edu or Ext. 8421
Submitted by: Kathleen DeLaney, archvist/reference librarian
