The record of Japanese disaster
Last year’s set of triple disasters in Japan produced destruction almost past comprehension and sorrow beyond measure. The impact of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident were enormous, and drew the interest of scholars trying to make sense of what was happening. In an increasingly dominant Internet age, Harvard experts were among those who quickly grasped the need to preserve the digital ephemera of March 11, 2011, including the tweets, blogs, websites, YouTube videos, and audio recordings, as well as the official records of government agencies and nonprofits. All of that material can provide insight for future researchers and historians — that is, if it can be preserved and made accessible in creative ways. This week, after months of intensive work, the Edward O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies and other partners are ready for the initial version of the Digital Archive of Japan’s 2011 Disasters to go live. Users may register...