Kildekildens

Kildekildens is a term used in information science and media studies to describe the provenance chain of sources that underlie a claim or text. It focuses on how primary and secondary sources are linked and how transparently the information’s lineage is shown to readers.

The word derives from Scandinavian roots, with kilde meaning source and kildens indicating possession. In Nordic scholarly discourse, kildekildens is used to discuss the traceability of information, the reliability of sources, and the way citations reflect the origins of ideas. It is not a universally standardized concept outside those contexts, but it appears in discussions about source criticism, data provenance, and scholarly integrity.

Conceptually, kildekildens goes beyond simply listing sources. It emphasizes mapping the relationships among sources, including revisions, translations, authorial interpretations, and intermediary works. Practically, it can be represented as a provenance graph or citation network that makes visible how a final claim depends on a chain of sources and how each link was verified or contested.

Applications include journalism, academia, and data governance. The practice involves identifying all sources involved, documenting their relationships, recording versions and edits, attributing properly, and providing metadata that makes provenance accessible. Tools such as version control systems, bibliographic databases, and provenance visualization software can support this work.

Benefits include greater transparency, reproducibility, and accountability. Limitations involve potential complexity, time requirements, and concerns about metadata privacy or copyright. Standards for metadata and provenance documentation are often necessary to ensure consistent and usable kildekildens.

Example: A climate policy report cites a peer‑reviewed study, a government brief, and a press release. The kildekildens would trace each element to its origin, showing how the final conclusions were supported and where uncertainties reside. See also provenance, source criticism, and citation networks.