Stuart Hall Archive: Goldsmith’s University, MA Cultural Studies visit
A major purpose of the Stuart Hall Archive Project is to support engagement with Hall’s papers, particularly by research students. We were fortunate to be able to host a group of students, currently reading the MA Cultural Studies with Prof Julian Henriques at Goldsmiths, University of London in mid-November 2023.
Nick Beech provided a short introduction to the students online before their visit, introducing the question of archives in general, but also providing an overview of Hall’s papers. As a large collection, the students had to select a small sample. This selection was based on their work exploring heritage and archive debates in cultural studies; but also on their shared interest and enthusiasm for Stuart Hall’s life and work.
The group of 12 students selected 6 archive boxes, and worked together in the Cadbury Research Library seminar room – where they were able to view the material and discuss their findings together.
Below is a sample of the feedback given by the students. Rebecca Adams, and the Stuart Hall Archive Project research team, will use this feedback to inform future visits from students. If you would like to visit with a group of students and explore the papers, do get in touch, either directly with Rebecca, or via sharchiveproject@contacts.bham.ac.uk
On surprises and discoveries:
‘When we read a text we just see the final result, but having the opportunity to read some letters, notes and thoughts outside the final result of a text made me realize and appreciate everything that has to be done to write a document and that we do not see when we read it.’
‘What interested me most was looking at the mind maps and annotated papers, as this allowed for a peek into his process of writing, the editing- scratched-out phrases, replaced words and notes on other people’s work made this gigantic body of work seem more real, alive, and accessible.’
‘All of these examples gave an insight into the level of detail that went into Hall’s thinking before and during the writing process, but perhaps more importantly they give a sense of the community he created around his work. Almost every box contained insights and feedback not just from academic peers but also from students and media/cultural producers, as well as practical cultural examples to illustrate the direction of his work. This highlights the richness of the layers behind the works that were ultimately published and became iconic.’
‘What I noticed this time is that his encoding and decoding framework frequently appears in other papers. I’m sure it may be found in other boxes that I haven’t read. Although he researched a wide range of topics in-depth, there seems to be common, flexible, and strong frameworks of thought underlying them. Another thing that surprised me was his unfading curiosity. For instance, a short essay titled ‘Notes on Jokes, Sit-Coms, and Contradictions’ seems like solid evidence that he was a big TV watcher. I think that no one can write like this without enjoying watching the show.’
Insights and inspirations
‘One particular box of documents took me longer to sort out than the others and caught my attention – box #10 – Media and the Reproduction of Ideologies… I was especially fascinated by the article on the topic ‘Notes on Jokes, Sit-coms and Contradictions’, where Professor Hall analyses the concept of jokes in TV shows using the concept of gender studies. I have a particular interest in that field, so I’ll be studying this subject deeper and using it as an inspiration for my dissertation.’
‘it was the experience of being in the room, opening the boxes and handling the materials, hearing the rustle of the papers and the surprised murmurs and insights of the group, which really stayed with me. I got to experience Tina Campt’s argument that: “To look or watch is to apprehend at only one sensory level. Listening requires an attunement to sonic frequencies of affect and impact. It is an ensemble of seeing, feeling, being affected, contacted and moved beyond the distance of sight and observer” (Campt, 2017, p. 42).’
‘Stuart Hall uses his words, his explanation, his thoughts to make a dead thing reborn, such as the archive concept. The archive must be interacting with people, with new thoughts, with different arrangements…so that it becomes alive.’