Collecting plays a prominent role as a practice of selecting, recording and structuring material and immaterial objects not only in the realm of museums and archives, but also in organizations. In the context of digital transformation and the rising use of generative AI, (“big”) data collection has become one of the most important competitive factors, seemingly paving the way for a further dematerialisation of both the economy and culture. Arguably, such an idea of the futures of collecting does not stand up to closer scrutiny. Furthermore, the excessive use of energy-intensive forms of computing, such as generative AI, is in stark contrast to the goal of sustainability and ecological transition. In this sense, the digital transformation raises numerous questions of how we will deal with our tangible and intangible heritage now and in the future.
For the DAC Summer School 2025, we invite contributions from cultural, curatorial, archival and organizational studies that address the diverse practices of ‚sorting out’ and ‘sorting in‘ in the sense of making material and immaterial collections accessible and meaningful. We particularly invite contributions that critically examine the opportunities and challenges of increasing technologization, especially through AI.