OAIS – mellanhand eller medlare : En empirisk fallstudie av implementeringen av OAIS på R7e-arkiv utifrån aktör-nätverksteori

Sammanfattning: The use of standards has become widespread in the field of digital archiving. The most notable of these is the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) model. In the development and usage of such standards both researchers and practitioners have been similarly focused on the technical dimension of standards, prioritizing efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Less attention has been paid to study the implementation of standards from a social perspective. Based on the reflexive methodology, suggested by Mats Alvesson and Kaj Sköldberg, and adopting an actor-network theory (ANT) approach, this study attempted to understand the role played by a technological artifact such as the OAIS standard in the specific context of a Swedish e-archive known as R7e-arkiv. Understanding the social in terms of association and focusing on key ANT concepts such as actors, mediators, intermediaries, network and translation the study found that the role played by the OAIS, was that of a silent intermediary until recent developments in the e-archive made it acquire the momentary role of mediator, giving it the capabilities of acting upon the actor-network. The discussion outlines different conceptions of standards through ANT approaches. Among these, the view of the OAIS as a black box and the understanding of compliancy as performativity could serve as interesting starting points for further inquiries concerning the use of standards in digital archiving.