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Event

From Cells to Servers: Exploitative Labour and the Digitization of Historical Documents

Wednesday, October 2, 2024 12:00to14:00
Leacock Building 738, 855 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC, H3A 2T7, CA
Poster with event details and historical photo.

The Department of History and Classical Studies and the Montreal History Group invite you to hear Dr. Kristen Howard speak about the use of prison labour in archival digitization projects.

This presentation draws on exploitation theory to argue that the use of underpaid prison labour for the digitization of archival and other historical materials is unethical. Such projects, and therefore our cultural memory institutions, exploit incarcerated people. As the for-profit prison industry only continues to grow and disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, and people of colour, it is imperative that historians and members of the information profession recognize our contributions to this moral wrong and consider more ethical alternatives.

Coffee and snacks will be provided. Attendees are welcome to bring a brown-bag lunch as well.

This is a hybrid event. To register to attend virtually, visit .

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