Prospective archival science: new issues and methods for archival research

Archival science, which is highly influenced by social and technological change, is presently in the midst of a profound transformation that affects its very nature. After a brief introduction to future studies, prospective archival science is defined as the research posed and conducted to respond to queries and uncertainties respecting the future of archives and archival science, as well as the study of factors of change that will determine that future. This is followed by a reflection on the fundamentals of this discipline, the questions to be addressed, the fields of application, and the most suitable methods. The article concludes with a proposal fir the appropriate application of prospective archival science: consensus documents and indicators.