The Greek Revolution of 1821: Digital Archive
Creation of an online educational and research platform on the Greek Revolution of 1821
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In the framework of the act4Greece program, the Research Centre for the Humanities (RCH) is undertaking the creation of an online platform that brings together different kinds of material (archival, textual, visual, audio, audio-visual) on various aspects of the period of the Greek Revolution of 1821. The project will be carried out with the collaboration of eminent academic and other bodies, such as the Library of the Hellenic Parliament, the General State Archives, The Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive (ELIA), The Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments – The Phoebus Anoyanakis Collection.
Aims of the project:
- To involve young Greek academics and researchers who hold doctoral degrees, so that they can continue their research work in Greece without having to go abroad.
- To create a user friendly tool where archival material, research results as well as the songs, costumes and paintings of the period will be easily retrievable. This will greatly facilitate the study of related scholarly issues.
- To develop an educational tool for both secondary school and university-level use that disseminates effectively the results of academic research.
- To reach out to the international scholarly community, with the publication of the project in both Greek and English.
Detailed description of the project “The Greek Revolution of 1821: Digital Archive”
The Research Centre for the Humanities (RCH) is a non-profit organization established in January 2015. Its main purpose is the funding of research in the humanities through a process of annual public calls for the submission of research proposals by holders of doctoral degrees.
The RCH is proposing the creation of a multilayered online platform which will gather primary and secondary research materials and present them in a way that is suitable for both educational and research use.
The web-based platform will be comprised of the following levels:
- Digital repository: Organizational infrastructure (databases) built on data related to the Greek Revolution of 1821, which will be accessible to visitors to the site. The related materials will be digitized and organized in databases. This organizational infrastructure will be dynamic in nature, enabling subsequent input of new material once the project has reached completion.
- Website: This level involves the creation of a single environment for the presentation of the digital repository, which will enable link-up of its digital collections. The site will be designed to serve as a tool for managing the digital archive generated by the digital repository and also for research and education purposes.
- Online exhibits: With one of its key aims being to provide a vivid presentation and link-up with the material in the digital repository, the website will use state-of-the-art visual display of information: the online exhibits will propose use options for the materials and digital storytelling that will be both attractive and accessible to a wider public.
- Transcription of documents through crowdsourcing. “The Greek Revolution of 1821: Digital Archive” will make a public call (both for researchers and members of the public in general) for participation in the transcription of archival documents via the relevant software, on the lines of international crowdsourcing programs. This option can serve as a valuable educational tool and basis for cooperation with international research bodies.
To realize this digital application the RCH will work alongside the bodies listed below, while the intention is to broaden the number of collaborating bodies as the project progresses:
- Library of the Hellenic Parliament
- General State Archives (GAK)
- National Library of Greece
- National Hellenic Research Foundation
- Benaki Museum
- Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive (ELIA)
- Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments – The Phoebus Anoyanakis Collection
- Captain Vassilis Foundation
Academic Committee (listed alphabetically)
Ada Dialla, Associate Professor of European History, Department of Theory and History of Art, Athens School of Fine Arts
Dimitris Dimitropoulos, Research Director, Section of Neohellenic Research, Institute of Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation
Eleni Droulia, Head of the Library of the Hellenic Parliament
Thomas W. Gallant, Professor of Modern Greek History and Archaeology, UC San Diego
Yannis Kontaratos, Professor of Painting, Athens School of Fine Arts
Yanni Kotsonis, Founding Director of the Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia (NYU)
Christos Loukos, Emeritus Professor of History, Department of History and Archaeology, University of Crete.
Mark A. Mazower, Professor of History, Columbia University
Constantin Tsoukalas, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. President of the Executive Board of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture.
Konstantina Zanou, Assistant Professor of Italian and Mediterranean Studies, Department of Italian, Columbia University
Scientific Executive Committee (listed alphabetically)
Ada Dialla, Associate Professor of European History, Department of Theory and History of Art, Athens School of Fine Arts
George Kalaouzis, Computer Engineer, Department of Architecture, University of Thessaly
Ioulia Pentazou, Dr. of Architecture, University of Thessaly (specialization in digital interactive and information design)
Eleni Stampogli, Historian, publisher (Kaleidoscope Publishing House)
Despoina Valatsou, Dr. of History, University of Athens (specialization in Digital Humanities and Digital History)
What is NBG Act4Greece?
The act4Greece program of the National Bank of Greece is a pioneering initiative for the promotion of social and developmental banking. For the first time in Greece, an online platform has been created which enables the gathering of resources from the “crowd” – from anyone interested, wherever they may be in the world. The resources are then directed to specific projects undertaken by implementing bodies. The core philosophy of crowdfunding is to enhance awareness among the public and to motivate people to contribute, as much as they can, to the implementation of projects that are needed by Greek society.
The program covers projects falling within 7 action areas:
1) Welfare, Health and Solidarity
2) Social Economy and Entrepreneurship
3) Culture and Cultural Entrepreneurship
4) Young and Innovative Entrepreneurship
5) Environment and Sustainability
6) Research, Education and Training
7) Sporting Activities
The various act4Greece actions are being implemented by bodies with a solid track record in such activity, through the program’s website, by leveraging the potential of the crowdfunding financing model.
The funds raising through the act4Greece are donations, and in the future – as soon as the appropriate institutional framework has been put in place – they will be also raised through lending (especially small loans), and through equity participation, by supporting innovative business start-ups.