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March 16, 2006
Archiving, Accessing, and Admitting Defeat
One of my final projects this semester is to create a document that tells about a social history that should be told (and hasn't been told a gazillion times already). Chevere! My idea was to look at how the women of Puerto Rico influenced the economy through needlework. How did sewing and crafting influence this patriarchal society and the gender roles inherent within it? How did these contributions translate into feminism, or even (pseudo) independence from husbands, boyfriends, and the male community at large? Interesante, si? Especialmente para mi como una mujer Latina. As I went to see what was available for me to work with, I discovered that my topic of interest would have to be modified to the materials that were available to me; and as you would expect this came as no surprise. Of course I don't have access to the materials that would make this project a reality. Of course the archive has many wonderful (hegemonically chosen) materials that I can work with, which they suppose will soothe the sting of discovering yet another site of exclusion. And, of course, I had (and often have) to admit defeat. Once again, I must accommodate the dominant structure that stifles my academic and scholarly growth. My suspicion is that's the way it'll always be. And, if you think that it's my responsibility to "just go and find what I need", I will thank you to come and seek me out so that we may have that conversation in person-there is much you need to learn if you believe that hype! And I'm not the only one that can teach it/preach it to you.
Posted by dvaldesd at March 16, 2006 02:23 PM
Comments
Damn homie....
I can respond to you on so many levels.
First, I applaud you for being more proactive than I am. In truth, I didn't even attempt the stuff for the Social histories project. So, even though your attempts are frustrating, kudos to you.
Secondly, your articulate rage is awesome. Keep cussin' em out la diva latina.
Posted by: Tamika at March 16, 2006 04:03 PM
Thanks, Mama. You're pretty damn fierce yourself! ;0)
Posted by: Denise Valdes-Doty at March 16, 2006 08:54 PM
I'm betting this is going to get worse for you each year: You're going to find huge gaps where there should be dense information. So I'm pleased that you're doing your projects on some of these topics, figuring out which one you want to tackle in a serious way. And before too many moons pass, you'll be the girl who fills in one of those huge gaps!
Good grief, I do sound like a prof. But no, really, I'm speaking as a fellow scholar who is just appalled at the gaps, who's spent a career trying to fill in one of them, and who wishes there were more hands at work on the important jobs.
Posted by: senioritis at March 17, 2006 07:46 AM