Our Programs, and Projects
DADRI currently carries out data research and archiving through two organizational levels: programs and projects. The programs function independently of each other. Each program is a thematic program with long-term goals and missions; each program houses a number of projects bound by tighter scopes and specific timelines, outputs, and deliverables to be implemented. Teams across the three programs are interdependent and share common capacities, knowledge, and skills. Our programs’ teams are not static, they work in a flexible manner and can join a task force if a DADRI project requires interdisciplinary backgrounds and pulling their skills together. Although our team members specialize in an area of their interest in their respective program, DADRI ensures that its individual team members receive constant training, enabling them to work across different projects.
“Societal Indicators” Program:
A data research program concerned with contemporary social and criminal phenomena, issues, and conditions on micro, meso and marco levels in the Egyptian context. It seeks to analyze, process, and quantify already existing qualitative data and develop comprehensive datasets, indexes, and indicators for neglected social problems (ex: suicide rates in Egypt, road and railroad accidents, fire accidents). It attempts to generate data visualizations and statistical projections based on the social indicators it builds for easier utility and integration in social research.
“Social Documentation” SocDoc Program:
A data research and archival program that provides space for contested narratives and histories of social change and political events in modern Egypt to exist (20th century onwards). It collects alternative knowledge and archives – in contrast to official state narratives produced by governments – based on approaches such as collective remembering where knowledge is treated as a contested process rather than a static body of information. The program aggregates records, datasets, visual and textual archives of social, cultural, historical, and legal, and political changes that took place and continue to occur in Egypt.
“Regional Dossiers” Program:
A regional data research program concerned with contemporary socio-political phenomena, issues, and conditions in the wider Arab region and providing comparative perspectives across the Arab societies experiencing political and societal changes. Thematic projects under this program include measuring social and political mobilization and women’s representation and participation in politics and public life in “Arab Spring” countries.
The Archive Unit:
An independent unit that supports the operations of DADRI’s programs through both theoretical and practical paths by providing the programs with consultations or information needed for their projects. It offers an archival digital repository of visual and textual social, political, cultural, linguistic, historical, and legal archives, databases, indexes, bibliographies, and catalogs. This unit seeks to establish a model for an Arabic digital archive that is connected to local and regional phenomena and transformations and to provide an academic, professional, social, and historicizing reference that is based on objectivity, impartiality, professionalism, and comprehensiveness.