welcome to the expatriate archive centre

Member of the International Council on Archives

Who Are We?The Board

•Mr Han Kooij – Chair•Mr Kees de Groot – Treasurer•Lady Judy Moody-Stuart* – Chair Nomination Committee•Ms Tasoula Hadjitofi – Member Nomination Committee•Dr Marijke Huisman – Academic Member•Mr Ian Franklin – Shell •Ms Sylvia Spoelder – Global Outpost* Founding Member

The Staff

Volunteers in supporting roles

Elske van HolkDirector

Rosita Arnts-BoerArchivist

Catherine SwindlesOffice Manager

Peta ChowPR and Marketing

History of the Archive

• The Shell Ladies’ Project: Lady Moody-Stuart, Glenda Lewin andProf. Dr Dewey White

• Collection originated with source material from 2 books “Life on the Move” and “Life Now”.

• April 2008 independent “Stichting” with

own staff and a new name The Expatriate Archive Centre

Why The Hague?

• 2nd UN City in the world

• Long tradition of expatriation

• Shell origins of the collection

• Donation of the premises

Defining “Expat”One who leaves their home country temporarily to work or study

Adj. Resident outside one’s native country

Source: Move Guides

What’s in a word?“Many Britons abroad see themselves as 'expats', a word that reflects outdated attitudes inappropriate for 21st-century global living. It's time to consign it to history” - Sociologist Peter Matanle,The Guardian

“I've spent years looking at expat identity - namely the fact that many social scientists claim it doesn't exist. There's no "real" culture associated with it, they say. I wholeheartedly disagree… expat culture collects exceptions to the (traditional culture) rule. It is based in a mindset, not an "origin".” -Anthropologist Sarah Steegar, Expatica.com

Why an Archive?

• Document and preserve the social history of expatriate life for future generations

• Create a research facility for historians, social scientists and writers

• Relevance in a shrinking world, increasing globalisation

Our Mission: To collect, preserve, promote and make accessible a collection of primary source materials documenting the social history of

expatriate life.

The Collection• Primary source material, originals preferred• From all over the world, in original languages

• What we collect:

– writings, diaries and memoirs– letters, postcards and emails– photos and scrapbooks– video and audio– blogs and social media– magazines and newsletters– paperwork, tickets and invites

• Supplementary library of published material

Donation Example

Stories From all the Family

Why Donate?

• Become part of expat history

• Help academic research

• Proper preservation

• Keep your collection together

• Free delivery with Voerman

• Free digital copy

• Privacy and confidentiality

Storage

• Custom-built archival room• Humidity controlled• Acid-free folders and boxes• Links with Gemeentearchief

Research

• Primary: social history, geography, psychology, genealogy etc

• Secondary: writers, journalists (limitations)

Current Research Example

National identity and nostalgia in expatriates’ letters, 1979-2009

Mara SfountouriGlobal History and International Relations MA

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Volunteering

• Essential for our operation

• We ask: 3 hours minimum, enthusiastic and inquisitive nature, an interest in history

• We offer: a friendly and international environment, support and training, references, gratitude!

Tini NeervoortCoordinator

Volunteer Projects• Sorting and cataloguing collections• Research and gap filling• Scanning • Translating• Writing articles• Managing library• Marketing, PR, social media

Latest Developments

• Online catalogue launched 2012• First academic symposium 2013• Social media, reaching the world• Blog archiving• Digitalising films• New Director

@xpatarchive

From a Suitcase to an Archive…our story in a nutshell