The aim of this study is to examine to what extent the process of the nationalization of the former Italian governed Dodecanese Islands by the Greek state was reflected within the establishment of...Show moreThe aim of this study is to examine to what extent the process of the nationalization of the former Italian governed Dodecanese Islands by the Greek state was reflected within the establishment of the Historical Archive Office (Istoriko Arxeio Dodekanisou) during the period 1947-1967 and what impact the Historical Archive Office had on the local community. The main argument of the study is that the IAD was established as a national Greek archive, thus documenting the Greek consciousness of the Greek Orthodox population of the Islands, however, excluding and silencing the narratives of the ethnic and religious minorities of the Islands, mainly Jewish, Muslim and Catholic communities, as well as obscured stories of the Greek Orthodox people and the local histories of the Islands. The motivations of the founders of the IAD, the beliefs and the identities of the archivists, the archival policies and practices, are employed as the main tools of analysis of this study. The research concludes with a summary of the study, its limitations as well as recommendations for further research.Show less
