2019:Multimedia knowledge/Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing. Except we’re not...
 | This is an Accepted submission for the Multimedia space at Wikimania 2019. |
To contribute to the discussion even after this session, discuss here: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Wikimania-2019-sources-sum-of-all-human-knowledge
Description[edit | edit source]
The discussion about the use of non-traditional sources, particularly oral sources, in Wikipedias has been around for close to a decade, yet there is no end in sight to it. It is often stated that indigenous and minority communities can set policies in Wikipedias in their own languages to be what they want and that this would be one way of being able to access their oral tradition. This, however, does nothing to address the issue of the same sources being used in the biggest Wikipedias, which are the main sources of material used in translating articles for other, smaller Wikipedias.
The absence of non-traditional sources leads to a hierarchy of cultures where those who have been provided with a Western education and can submit their work in writing to peer-reviewed journals, etc. are considered better sources than the very people whose culture, heritage, languages, people are being written about. In doing so, we also blindly trust that the peers reviewing these works know more about these subjects, even though they are also outsiders, than the communities themselves. Articles end up being one-sided and depicted and categorized mainly from the Western point of view, which clearly violates NPOV. Our job is to minimize this bias and close the knowledge gaps in articles that may not be obvious to readers who are from the same or similar demographics as the main Wikipedias’ editors are. One way of doing so would be the use of oral sources.
Session outcomes[edit | edit source]
At the end of the session, the following will have been achieved:
After our talk, the audience should be able to understand and argue why oral citations are necessary, how the lack of them is creating a hierarchy and unbridgeable knowledge gap in the biggest Wikipedias, and be motivated to advocate for a change in policy on all Wikipedias to allow oral citations.
Session leader(s)[edit | edit source]
- Lucie-Aimée Kaffee (User:Frimelle)
- Felix Nartey (User:Flixtey, Open Foundation West Africa)
- Kimberli Mäkäräinen (Wikimedia Finland)
Relationship to the theme[edit | edit source]
This session will address the conference theme — Wikimedia, Free Knowledge and the Sustainable Development Goals — in the following manner:
Our proposal aims to reduce the inequality experienced by communities around the world who would be able to contribute using sources and reference material the larger Wikipedias do not recognize. We also aim to improve education by enabling these communities to add their knowledge system to Wikimedia projects on their own terms and as they themselves see it.
Session type[edit | edit source]
The program design prioritises submissions which are future-oriented and directly engage the audience. The format of this submission is a
- Our session will be a two-part session. The first 20 minutes will be our presentation and the remaining 40 minutes will be a sharing circle or round-table discussion.
Requirements[edit | edit source]
The session will work best with these conditions:
- Room:
A small classroom with a projector, a screen, round-table seating, and preferably some type of lectern.
- Audience:
20-30 people
- Recording:
Single fixed-location camera will be fine. The presentation itself can be shared on the internet all will be under a free licence. Slides will be uploaded to Commons under a free license.
Additional material[edit | edit source]
- Title quote from Robin “Roblimo” Miller (28 July 2004): “Wikimedia Founder Jimmy Wales Responds”. Slashdot. interviews.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/28/1351230
Interest[edit | edit source]
If you would like to attend this session, please express your interest by signing * ~~~~ below
- … (you?)