Call for Contributions – Flash No. 48

The Editorial Board of Flash, the biannual digital magazine of the International Council on Archives (ICA), is pleased to invite ICA members to submit proposals for its upcoming Issue No. 48, to be published in June/July 2026.

Topic of the Issue

When Archives Meet AI: Ethics, Sustainability, and Professional Responsibility

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly shaping discussions about the future of archives. From automated description and search tools to decision-support systems and large-scale data analysis, AI is often presented as an inevitable solution to the challenges faced by archival institutions. At the same time, there are many positive and promising applications of AI in the archival sector, including in oral history, oral and audiovisual archives, and community-based archival initiatives, where such technologies can support access, preservation, and the amplification of underrepresented voices. Yet, for many archivists, daily professional practice remains firmly rooted in paper-based records, limited digitisation capacities, and constrained resources.

In this context, the use of AI raises important questions. Many AI-driven tools require extensive digitisation, which is both costly and time-consuming, and rely on large-scale data storage infrastructures with significant environmental footprints. The growing energy demands of data centres, combined with unequal global access to digital infrastructures, invite reflection on the ecological and neo and decolonial implications of data-intensive technologies.

This issue of Flash invites contributions that critically examine the ethical, environmental, and professional implications of AI in archival work. As ICA places particular emphasis in 2026 on the theme #ArchivesForJustice, we also seek to explore how archivists can uphold principles of justice, human rights, and democracy in a digital environment shaped by algorithmic tools. What responsibilities do archivists have in the design, use, or refusal of AI systems? How can archival practice balance innovation with care, sustainability, and equity?

Through this theme, Flash No. 48 aims to create space for diverse experiences, reflections, and critical perspectives—whether from highly digitised environments or from contexts where AI remains distant from everyday archival practice.

Call for Contributions

We are inviting ICA members in good standing (*) to submit proposals for original contributions that offer professional insights, institutional case studies, or thought-provoking reflections related to the theme. Submissions may take various formats — including feature articles, short essays, interviews, or infographics — and should be relevant to a global audience.

Please note that all content selected for publication in this issue will be released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) licence. By submitting your article, you confirm that you accept these terms. You can learn more about the licence here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.en.

Submission Guidelines:

• Please submit a short abstract (maximum 250 words) outlining your proposal by completing the submission form below. The form will also ask for your ICA membership number and email address. Please note that the submission form is available in English only.

• Selected authors will be invited to submit a full contribution of approximately 1,500 words (5 pages). 

• Contributions must be written in English (UK spelling preferred). 

• Final drafts must be submitted by Friday, 24 April 2026. 

To ask any questions, please contact us at: communications@ica.org

We look forward to receiving your proposals and showcasing the work of ICA members from around the world in our next issue of Flash!

(*) ICA individual members or staff members or right holders of ICA institutional members in good standing can submit their proposals.

For the individual members who wish to confirm their membership status, we invite you to access “My ICA Profile”. If your Renewal due date is set on 1st January 2027 or later, you will be able to nominate yourself.

For the institutional members who wish to confirm their membership status, we invite you to access “My ICA Profile”. If your Renewal due date is set on 1st  January 2026 or later, you will be able to nominate yourself.