Sensing (Sensitive) Archives

Catalog description

How can archives be understood as dynamic spaces that preserve personal and communal memories, shape narratives, and reflect broader universal concerns? Traditionally, archives have been seen as repositories for storing and classifying historical records. Beyond the physicality of the documents themselves, however, archives contain deeper layers of meaning. This course examines how archives serve as sanctuaries for memories and narratives, highlighting universal issues such as intolerance, exile, and migration. How can we address archives as subjects in their own right and as constructs of our recollections? Inspired by the contributions of curators, researchers, and artists in Berlin, students will engage with archives of Jewish histories, such as the Jewish Museum and the city itself as living entities. They will explore sensitive questions of remembrance and memorial through photography, writing, and reflection. The course will culminate in a journal of their experiences and a final paper examining how archives serve as sites for addressing sensitive and significant issues. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026. This course will be taught at NYU Berlin and will count as an Away J-Term course.