First-year MA in Global African Studies student Moses Akunor, specializing in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, presented his research at the Bi-Weekly Seminar organized by the Department of Information Studies, University of Ghana, on March 19, 2026.
His presentation, titled “Advocating for Archives: Exploring Community Engagement at the J.H. Kwabena Nketia Archives,” examined how the archives at the Institute of African Studies engage with their community in preserving and promoting cultural heritage. Using the Community Engagement Continuum as a framework, the study explored levels of awareness, perception, and participation, while identifying key barriers such as limited visibility and outreach. It advocates for a shift from passive preservation to active, community-centered engagement strategies.
“At the heart of this research is a simple conviction: archives matter most when the people whose stories they hold can see themselves in them,” he said.
Moses’s research highlights the role of archives as dynamic spaces for knowledge exchange and community participation. Looking ahead, he hopes to build on this work by exploring broader issues of archival advocacy, digital engagement, and community-centered practices.
First-year MA in Global African Studies student Moses Akunor, specializing in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, presented his research at the Bi-Weekly Seminar organized by the Department of Information Studies, University of Ghana, on March 19, 2026.
First-year MA in Global African Studies student Moses Akunor, specializing in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, presented his research at the Bi-Weekly Seminar organized by the Department of Information Studies, University of Ghana, on March 19, 2026.
His presentation, titled “Advocating for Archives: Exploring Community Engagement at the J.H. Kwabena Nketia Archives,” examined how the archives at the Institute of African Studies engage with their community in preserving and promoting cultural heritage. Using the Community Engagement Continuum as a framework, the study explored levels of awareness, perception, and participation, while identifying key barriers such as limited visibility and outreach. It advocates for a shift from passive preservation to active, community-centered engagement strategies.
“At the heart of this research is a simple conviction: archives matter most when the people whose stories they hold can see themselves in them,” he said.
Moses’s research highlights the role of archives as dynamic spaces for knowledge exchange and community participation. Looking ahead, he hopes to build on this work by exploring broader issues of archival advocacy, digital engagement, and community-centered practices.
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