So far my role in Professor Mendoza’s research has taken the form of archival work. I’ve been collecting data from enlistment records gathered from the Colorado Archives. This work has given me a window into some of the characteristic differences of the era I’m studying (the late 1890s to early 1900s) compared to the present. In the review process I’ve noticed things I otherwise wouldn’t, like how many soldiers enlisted multiple times back to back, and how the entries reflect a world with far less technology (blacksmiths, cigar makers, cattlemen). This work has helped me appreciate the importance of attention to detail, and persistence when the work gets monotonous. I’ve gained experience sifting through lots of information and sorting out what’s relevant.
My social identity as a person with both white and Asian heritage helps me feel some level of connection and investment in the subject matter. Professor Mendoza is studying the colonization of the Philippines by the United States. I am the descendent of many who received unearned privilege, and also several who faced unfair barriers and challenges, and a lot of that has to do with colonialism and its ongoing effects. I hope to be a considerate and informed assistant in this research, and I hope that my social identities will help more than hinder with that goal.
Helping with this research has been a learning experience on multiple levels. I’ve gotten to see what it can be like to participate in archival humanities research, I’ve had the chance to experience remote and asynchronous work, (which has tested and strengthened my ability to stay on schedule), and I’ve affirmed that if given the excuse I will go to a coffee shop to do my work, justifying it by telling myself I’m at least earning more than I’m spending. I’ve learned that explaining the goal of research to others isn’t always easy, and that when talking to friends and relatives sometimes it’s most efficient to say “I read old documents,” and leave it at that. I’ve also been lucky enough to meet and talk to other research fellows, and learn about their passions and research interests, which has been lovely.