Arkivregler mottagna i olika format : en studie i två riksarkivs implementering av nationell arkivjuridisk rättsordning vid arbetet med e-arkivlösningar

Sammanfattning: The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine how national archival legislation affects the archival profession in the practical work regarding digital archive solutions. In addition to this aim, we also explore to which extent the archival professionals have the ability to influence the digital archive solutions at their workplace. The subjects for our research have been the Swedish and Danish national archives. Theoretical support is taken from Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis. The national archival legislation, as well as the perceptions of archival professionals, were further examined by the use of Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of discourse, in which interpretation takes place on a linguistic, discursive and social level. We have discovered that archival law, as a field of study, is still relatively unexplored. The research questions have been formulated in accordance with the aim, with the overall intention to investigate whether the archival legislation is compatible with the archival practice or not. To answer these questions we have used a qualitative method consisting of a combination of text analysis, to examine the archival legislation, and interviews with archival professionals at the national archives. Based on these findings, we have concluded that there is a great impact of judicial discourse in practice. It has been revealed that the archival profession is highly affected by the judicial discourse and archival legislation. For example, the Danish law (concerning archival matters) is less comprehensive, but is more specified than Swedish law. There is also a closer collaboration between the Danish National Archive and the legislative institutions. We have drawn the conclusion that there is a difference in influence of the archivists between the nations. In Danish law, single individuals are addressed to carry out responsibilities, while in Swedish law the organisation as a whole is addressed. Furthermore, there is a distinction between state laws and the National Archive’s own regulations. The Danish National Archive has more authority to demand how questions concerning digital archives should be handled by the state agencies. However, we have discovered an opposition in both countries between National Archive practice and national archival legislation. A likely explanation is the rapid technological development and a legislation, which does not have the ability to adapt in the same pace.