Early career scholars Alice Zamai, Jonah J. Berger and Maria Sole Barbieri discuss challenges and strategies in archival research.
Everyone working with archival materials faces common, often practical, challenges – looking through archives without knowing exactly what one is looking for, uncertainty about whether the relevant material even exists, and the challenge of turning what is found into evidence for an argument. Shaping archival material into an argument is at the core of historical work and at the heart of a PhD, whether in history or in the political sciences.
In this seminar, three scholars address these shared challenges in three brief presentations. Alice Zamai (Researcher, EUI) reflects on "The Puzzle of Working on the Transatlantic Partnership through European Sources", and explores the difficulties of reconstructing transatlantic relations through European archival collections. Jonah J. Berger (Researcher, EUI) discusses "Inside the 'Black Box' of the European Commission: How to Find Information Amidst Archival Asymmetries". His talk focuses on strategies for navigating institutional opacity and uneven access to sources. Maria Sole Barbieri (Archivist, HAEU) presents "Interrogating 1970s European Energy Policies Amid Archival Fragmentation", in which she highlights how dispersed and incomplete archives shape historical analysis.
The presentations will be followed by a round-table discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring concrete examples of challenges they have faced while engaging with archival sources. The aim of the discussion is to share experiences, help fellow researchers facing similar issues, and brainstorm solutions to overcome them based on the collective knowledge of the group.
Scholars at all career levels are encouraged to join the discussion and share their experiences.
Introduction and chair
Aurora Hamm and Leonardo Bruni
Talks
Alice Zamai: The Puzzle of Working on the Transatlantic Partnership Through European Source
Jonah J. Berger: Inside the Black Box of the European Commission: How to Find Information Amidst Archival Asymmetries
Maria Sole Barbieri: Interrogating 1970s European Energy Policies Amid Archival Fragmentation
Roundtable discussion
Open discussion among participants of past and current difficulties working with archival sources.
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