Ricky Punzalan publishes book foreword for Decolonial Archival Futures

University of Michigan School of Information associate professor Ricky Punzalan has published a foreword in “Decolonial Archival Futures,” a new book from the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and the American Library Association (ALA). 

The book, part of SAA’s “Archival Futures” series,  examines examples of archival work that centers Indigenous voices. 

“This book challenges non-Indigenous practitioners to consider constructs of knowledge, which histories we tell, and how the past is presented,” the ALA states. 

Punzalan’s foreword discusses his hopes for the future of archival work and his ReConnect/ReCollect project at U-M which seeks to decolonize the Philippine collections at U-M and make them more accessible to local, national and international Filipino communities. He also draws from his experience working with the Society of American Archivists. 

“Archives are as much about the past as about their significance in the present,” Punzalan writes. “We must act now so we have some hope of creating the decolonial archival futures that we want. Where there is harm, we must work diligently toward repair.” 

Decolonial Archival Futures is available for purchase from the American Library Association. 

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Learn more about Punzalan’s research and projects by visiting his faculty profile.