What is CIDOC-CRM?
CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM) is a theoretical and practical tool for information integration in the field of cultural heritage. It was established by the International Committee for Documentation (CIDOC) of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). CIDOC-CRM is a living standard that is designed to provide both high level information retrieval and the formulation and documentation of very specific data points and questions. It provides basic classes and relations devised for the cultural heritage world.
How are we using it and why are we using it?
CIDOC-CRM specifies types of data (classes) and data relations (properties) which the WPC database has adopted. Adopting these classes and properties will make it technically easier for WPC data to be shared with other projects which adopt CIDOC-CRM.
Each WPC content type is mapped to a CIDOC-CRM class. For example the content type ‘exhibition’ is mapped to the CIDOC-CRM class ‘E7 Activity’. Each WPC database field is mapped to a CIDOC-CRM property. For example the field ‘contributors’ in the content type ‘exhibition’ is mapped to the CIDOC-CRM property ‘P11 had participants’. This process of mapping is also known as ‘modeling’ and the resulting choices of CIDOC-CRM classes and properties as a ‘model’. The CIDOC-CRM specifies these classes and properties through the so-called ‘scope notes’ which are short texts explaining the nature of the class or property followed by examples.
While browsing the database, each content type and field is accompanied by the corresponding CIDOC-CRM class or property. Worlding notes about these classes and properties are available next to each field.
Why are these notes necessary? Why is CIDOC CRM problematic?
The worlding notes accompanying each content type and field in the WPC database are produced from situated and intersectional feminist, postcolonial and decolonial perspectives, critiquing the universalist claims of CIDOC-CRM. The notes are the result of a close-reading exercise of CIDOC-CRM scope notes and a reflection of the western-centric assumptions and exclusions of alternative epistemologies. The intention is to bring these discussions to the CIDOC-CRM special interest group and to test the scope notes from multiple perspectives.