Archives of dissonance: data environments through the lens of spatial justice
PhD presentation by Louise de Bethune on ‘Archives of dissonance: data environments through the lens of spatial justice’, at KU Leuven
05/10/2026, 14-16h
You are cordially invited to attend the first doctoral seminar by Louise de Béthune titled: “Archives of dissonance: data environments through the lens of spatial justice.” Space remains when time has elapsed and time-based rights end. Embedded in the archival context, this research uses the theory of spatial justice to evaluate whose interests are considered by the spatial data-sharing solutions introduced by the Data Governance Act. Through the example of access and reuse of colonial geological data, two myths are debunked: the myth that openness will lead to equal benefits and the myth of the homogenous peaceful public. Asking who can take place in the titled lawscape, this seminar focusses on the relational space entangling data and the value of bounda
Time holds an important position in EU data legislation. Individual rights to data are limited in time, connected to the life and death of their rightsholders, making it difficult to predict when rights end and data becomes freely available. The risk of infringements leads to uncertainties regarding the sharing, access and reuse of data.
To tackle these uncertainties and enhance data sharing, the Data Governance Act introduced two spatial solutions: Common European Data Spaces and Secure Processing Environments. In an urge to enable the widespread consumption of data for the general public interest, these digital architectures must prevent friction. Through advanced anonymisation and technological enforcement, non-places are created. However, this entails novel risks of de-contextualisation while confirming existing power imbalances under the veil of publicity for a fictional general public.
Practical
Online: Teams link
Physical:
Babbelbox: MTC-Building, 2nd floor, room 02.07
Sint-Michielsstraat 6
3000 Leuven
Belgium