Krista McCracken

Historical Reminiscents Podcast EP 55: Community Based Digitization

Posted on September 17, 2019 By krista

Web of connections right side reads: "Episode 55: Community based digitiztaion"

In this episode I discuss the recent conclusion of the “Healing and Education Through Digital Access” project undertaken by the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre. I talk about community engagement, how not all information wants to be free, and online access.

I would love to hear about your experiences working with community to undertake a digitization project. Leave a comment or send me a message on Twitter.

Mentioned in this episode:
–Press release for the Digitized Shingwauk Letter Books
–Archival listing of Letter Books
–OCAP Principals
Tara Robertson, “Not All Information Wants to be Free: The Case Study of On Our Backs”

A huge thank you to my colleague Jenna Lemay who did much of the heavy lifting on this project and who was responsible for developing the metadata for the Letter Books.

Download or listen now:

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Historical Reminiscents Podcast EP 54: Virtual Talks And The Cost Of Travel

Posted on September 6, 2019September 12, 2019 By krista

Line of colourful chairs, right side reads "Episode 54: Virtual Talks"

Recently I’ve had the opportunity to virtually participate in a couple of roundtables and to provide virtual lectures. In this episode I reflect on the how virtual lectures work, tech challenges, and distance engagement. I also discuss the real costs and privilege of academic travel.

I would love to hear about your experience giving or listening to a virtual lecture. Leave a comment or send me a message on Twitter.

Mentioned in this episode:
–2020 Visions for Environmental History series
-Jaymie Heilman, “Grounded: Academic Flying in the Time of Climate Emergency“
–CFP for Canadian Historical Association 2020 Annual Meeting

Rapid Reads:
– Katherine Roscoe, “Is Digital Crime History Too White? Representation in Australian Archives”

Read the download, or listen now.

Photo credit: Jan Genge on Unsplash

Preserving and Listening to Soundscapes

Posted on August 21, 2019August 23, 2019 By krista

The BBC recently ran a podcast series called Forest 404. The podcast is set in a futuristic 24th Century, in a time after a massive data crash and in a era in which forests and much of the natural world no longer exist.

I initially started listening to Forest 404 because the protagonist is voiced by Pearl Mackie, who I loved in Doctor Who. The entire podcast is framed around archived soundscapes from the 21st century (know affectionately as the ‘Old World’ in the podcast).

The main character Pan is essentially a digital archivist who makes decisions about what sounds are worth keeping and which sounds get destroyed from the archive and the world’s memory.

The fact that this entire podcast intersects with climate, archiving, and science fiction make it worth listening to. For me, this podcast also made me think about broader archival efforts to document sounds and soundscapes.

Archivists In The Movies – Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones

Posted on July 31, 2019August 23, 2019 By krista

My latest post “Archivists In The Movies – Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones” is over on Activehistory.ca. This fun piece is part of the Active History summer series looking at historians in film. The post looks at the representation (or lack of representation) of archivists in film.

Appropriation vs. Incorporation: Indigenous Content in the Canadian History Classroom

Posted on July 15, 2019August 21, 2019 By krista

My latest post, written with Skylee-Storm Hogan and Andrea Eidinger for the Activehistory.ca Beyond the Lecture series is up now.

“Appropriation vs. Incorporation: Indigenous Content in the Canadian History Classroom” looks how historians can include Indigenous content in post-secondary classrooms, with an emphasis on providing practical steps and resources.

Podcasting, Scholarship, and History Talk

Posted on July 9, 2019July 10, 2019 By krista

Earlier today I had the pleasure of providing a virtual talk on podcasting, scholarship, and public history. My talk focused on how podcasts can be forms of scholarship and outreach. I also spoke about my experience recording the Historical Reminiscents podcast.

For folks interested, my slides and notes are up on Google Slides.

Historical Reminiscents Podcast EP 53: OE Fellows Update

Posted on July 3, 2019July 5, 2019 By krista

Door opening on left. Right side reads "Episode 53: OE Fellows Update"

In this episode I reflect on the first few months of my eCampus Ontario Open Education Fellows appointment. I talk about the open community, Canadian history and open, and the intersection of Indigenous knowledge and open educational resources.

I would love to hear about your experiences with open education and open practice. Leave a comment or send me a message on Twitter.

Mentioned in this episode:
–Whose Voices Get To Be Heard? A Reflection on History and Open Education
–Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Culture

Rapid Reads:
– ~~I am a Historian~~ I Make Exhibits by B. Erin Cole

Read the transcript, download, or listen now.

Photo credit: Roan Lavery on Unsplash

All The Project Updates

Posted on June 18, 2019June 18, 2019 By krista

It has been a busy Spring and as summer slowly drifts into view, I thought it would be appropriate to share a bit of the work I’ve been up to over the past few months. I am just going to be sharing high level updates but please feel free to reach out if you want more details about any of the projects mentioned.

Historical Reminiscents Podcast EP 52: Conference Travel Recovery

Posted on May 30, 2019 By krista

Globe on a stand, right side reads "Conference travel recovery"

In this episode I talk about recovering from conferences. How do you process all that information you learned? How do you get back into the swing of work? And how do you find time to rest?

I would love to hear about what your conference follow-up looks like and how you give yourself space to recover from a conference. Leave a comment or send me a message on Twitter.

Mentioned in this episode:
-Katie Linder, Tips Before You Travel

Rapid Reads:
-Pam Palmater, Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Universities and Colleges

Download or listen now.

Photo credit: Adolfo Félix on Unsplash

Challenging Colonial Spaces: Reconciliation and Decolonizing Work in Canadian Archives

Posted on May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 By krista

silver typewriter in shallow focus photography

My latest article, “Challenging Colonial Spaces: Reconciliation and Decolonizing Work in Canadian Archives,” can now be found in the Canadian Historical Review.

For interested folks, here is the abstract for the article:
As historians and the public engage with, address, and teach the history of residential schools, it is important to look at how that history has been recorded, taught, and preserved in Canada. The examination of archival structures illuminates the incompatible nature of many archival practices and Indigenous ways of knowing. Set within a context of reconciliation efforts, this article seeks to highlight existing colonial frameworks within the Canadian archival system and explore the impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada on Canadian archival practices.

Photo credit: Peter Lewicki on Unsplash