P20 Words Have Power: A New Definition of Preservation for the 21st Century

Preservation is central to archival work and the persistence of knowledge. Contemporary scholarship recognizes the influence of what is preserved on power dynamics within our histories and can shape how we see ourselves and each other. It identifies what is preserved as culturally unique and both tangible and intangible. However, these dynamics are not reflected in the existing definition which frames it primarily as preventing physical decay. As such, we propose a new, decolonized definition of preservation inclusive of these principles. To illustrate the components of this new definition, a case study of the renaming of Mt. Denali in 2015 will be used to show how power, intent, and context serve as defining characteristics of preservation, made identifiable through the control of visibility of that which is preserved.