"Reading Colonial Records Through an Archival Lens: The Provenance of Place, Space and Creation"

Bastian, Jeannette Allis.  “Reading Colonial Records Through an Archival Lens: The Provenance of Place, Space and Creation,” Archival Science, December 2006, Volume 6, Issue 6(3-4): 267-284, 2006. 6-Bastian, colonial lens.pdf 

Reading Bastian's article as a historian, there were several issues that are unavoidable or at the very least not fully fleshed out.  Historians are trained extensively on the use of primary sources, secondary sources, and to some extent archives. Also included in professional training is the concept of bias, and the role of the concept in the writing of history.  Bastian completely discusses the biases in place when studying subaltern history, but seems to unfairly criticize historians from their use of biased colonial documents, while applauding archivist for their role in the lifting up histories of the minority.  However, this does not by any means negate the role of the archivist, it does belittle that of the historian who ultimately is at the mercy of the archivist

In teaching the biases that develop when using different primary sources, I give my students the following example.  

During a recent New York Yankees game Derek Jeter grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. 

In writing that report as it is several biases appear by writing this basic fact as it is. Perhaps the most obvious is a failure to include those playing defense on the play, or even the team the Yankees were playing.  By doing so, the author of the statement is already betraying a bias towards the New York Yankees and against any other team in the American League. Perhaps it was an inter-league game, which only adds to the bias against even more baseball teams.  More particular it creates a natural bias against the individual play of each member of the double play. Was the short stop playing deep in left field? This would require quick reflexes to cover the extra ground to get to second base. Who was on first running to second? If the runner has considerable speed, the play might need to be hurried, causing the second basemen to through the ball short. Was the throw close at first? If the throw was not hurried, the first baseman might have time to recover a badly throw ball. Still yet another bias is created by mentioning Derek Jeter first. The fact could have just as accurately been written 

Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey got Derek Jeter to ground into 4-6-3 double play

The rise of revisionist history has added acolytes like Bastian who denounce the practice of biased writing, when bias is completely unavoidable. Historians, archivists, and others concerned with the detailing of subaltern histories might well have the play described as such 

During Saturday's games with the Toronto Blue Jays, in which knuckleballer R.A. Dickey threw 9 innings of scoreless baseball to get the win, Deter Jeter grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.  Edwin Encarnocion fielded the well hit ground ball, made a clean throw to the shallow playing Brett Lawrie. Lawrie made a clean throw to first where Jose Rais made the easy catch.  

Though revisionist historians, and the archivist who work along side the historian, have valid objections to fact as it was originally written, it is nearly impossible to include every detail in the retelling of historic events without becoming ultimately bogged down in the perpetual minutia of history. Rightfully so, these details are important to baseball aficionados, Yankees fans, or even Derek Jeter, they are often not the concern of the masses.  

Bastian's article is not without a sustainable argument. As pointed out repeatedly, the role of the archivist is to gather as much information as possible about their subject matter, from which a historian might mine for details.  Using the same example, an archivist at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York might well gather a video of the game played between the Blue Jays and the Yankee from both the Toronto and New York based broadcasts, post game interviews from the players involved and even the batting gloves of Deter Jeter used in the game. From these artifacts, one might gather information as they write an article on Derek Jeter's propensity to hit into double plays, or even the career of R.A. Dickey.  

Given the confines page limitations, time, resources and reader interest, historians must naturally form biases in their work. Simple elements like word choice and sentence structure lend further to this creation, thus the revisionist argument is somewhat muted.  Bias, however large a role it plays on the work of the historian, does not effect the work of the archivist, who's job it is to gather as much information as possible about particular event. This fact is justly pointed out by Bastian.