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Short Abstract

The presentation discusses the inception of a citizen science project with Surinamese heritage data, focusing on how to establish co-creation, shared authority, and methodological transparency from the outset within a postcolonial and institutional research setting.

Abstract

This presentation reflects methodologically on the early phase of a citizen science project grounded in the Suriname Time Machine (https://www.huygens.knaw.nl/en/projecten/suriname-time-machine/) and the Historical Database of Suriname and the Caribbean (https://www.ru.nl/en/research/research-projects/historical-database-suriname-and-the-caribbean). Starting in December 2025, the project seeks to reframe citizen participation from data contribution towards shared authority in heritage research. Central questions include how existing heritage data can be made more accessible, which collections and datasets should be added, and how narratives can be shaped and presented to reflect both institutional and community perspectives. A particular focus lies on connecting archival materials to personal and collective histories that hold significance within Surinamese communities.

At this stage, the project structure remains open by design, allowing co-creation to inform its development before objectives become fixed. The process raises critical questions about identifying and involving Surinamese diaspora communities in the Netherlands, distributing decision-making power between researchers and community managers, and avoiding the reproduction of colonial hierarchies within participatory frameworks. Initial experiences from these preparatory stages will be presented at the conference.

Methodological transparency forms the foundation of this work. Reflexivity and awareness of positionality and institutional constraints are treated as integral to research design, communication, and accessibility. Rather than presenting results, the presentation examines the uncertainties, negotiations, and groundwork involved in building co-created citizen science from the beginning. It invites discussion on how participatory heritage research can move beyond consultation towards genuinely community-directed practice.